Winter's Eyes
by MadHope
Summary: Hinata is an extremely shy highschooler- not to mention a blind high schooler. She's a girl with  hard past, present, and hopefully not so hard of a future. She meets Naruto Uzamaki, a boy with a complicated past.Yikes.Check chapter 5 Enjoy!
1. My Name Is

**Hello there! This is my second Naruto story, so if you want to read my other one, go check it out! I actually wrote this for something else, but then I realized, Hey! These characters fit perfectly with the Naruto crew! So why not, ya know? Well, I hope you like it! Tell me who you want in the story, what other couples you want, and stuff!**

**Enjoy!**

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_Tap tap tap _

If anyone were to delete the roaring in the school hallway and train their ears, they would be able to hear the faint tapping of metal on concrete. No one bothered to look as a tiny girl, who looked too young to be in high school, shuffled her way through the obnoxious crowd. She was shorter than most girls her age, so she could be easily overlooked, and her black hair and dark clothes made her fade into the background.

The only thing that made anyone aware of her presence was the _tap tap tap_ping of her walking stick and the way she trailed her left hand along the wall. Just then the bell rang, and the other teens filtered out. A couple of jocks who were busy shoving each other accidentally rammed into the girl, sending her crashing to the floor. Neither took notice as they rounded the corner and left, continuing to shove and laugh at each other until even the noises of their incessant snorting faded away.

Meanwhile, the girl sat on her hands and knees, her right hand outstretched and sliding along the ground. Just then she heard footsteps coming her way and felt her nerves build. Nevertheless, she kept on feeling around for her walking stick, hoping the person would just walk past her like everyone else. She felt the presence come closer and heard the ruffled of clothes, as if they were kneeling, and then heard the sound of metal on concrete.

"Hey…" It was a male voice, sounding her age or older. The girl automatically flinched, holding her hands in front of her face.

"…is this yours?" She hesitated before reaching out a timid hand. Her fingers brushed against metal and a small smile spread on her face for just a millisecond. _Her walking stick! _She grasped it and lifted herself up carefully, setting the tip of the walking stick on the ground and grasping the handle firmly, determined not to let go of it again.

"Are you ok?" The girl jumped a bit when the voice came to her, reminding her that she wasn't alone. She felt her face grow warm and ducked her head as she nodded.

"Well, you know that bell already rang, right?" The girl nodded, almost sighing as she realized she would be in trouble, if not from the teacher than from her dad.

"So what's your name? Or uh, can you talk?" She hesitated. Should she tell him? He had helped her, but she usually didn't talk to anyone. The boy seemed to take her silence differently.

"Oh, that was probably a bad question to ask," he said, and she heard him shuffle his feet uncomfortably. A small smile spread on her face.

"Hinata," she whispered. The boy paused, seeming surprised.

"Alright then," he said in a happy tone, and she could tell he was smiling, "We should probably get to class, huh?" Hinata smiled and nodded. They slowly started walking down the hall, and while he walked next to her, Hinata was thankful when he didn't try to help her walk.

"Oh! I didn't tell you my name, did I?" he exclaimed suddenly, making her jump, "It's Naruto. Nice to meet you!" He grabbed her free hand and shook it. Her eyes went wide behind her sunglasses at the sudden contact. Naruto let go and she heard a rustling that sounded like he put his hands in his pockets, but she couldn't be sure.

"Well, Hinata, I think I'm going to like you!" He exclaimed, and her face reddened before he continued to talk about high school and other random things. Hinata felt another smile creep onto her face. Maybe she was going to like him, too.

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**There we are! Hope you liked it! If not, I apologize. :) Anyways, see ya next time! BYES!**


	2. Good Luck

**Back again! I hope you like it! I don't really have anything to say except if you want any characters put in here, just ask! Welpp... I'm thinking... I'm thinking... Yep, blank. Oh well.**

**Enjoy!**

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Hinata made it to her class, saying goodbye to Naruto in the hallway before he headed off to his own. She had apologized to her teacher for being late before being helped to her seat, where she sunk low enough that no one would pay attention to her. Not that they would have, anyway. Hinata pulled a small silver tape recorder out of her pocket and clicked record before setting it on the edge of her desk. She listened carefully as the teacher talked, as much as she could with the rest of the class muttering and giggling to each other.

She heard a few comments about herself and sunk even lower in her seat. Hinata focused on the lesson, but found her mind wandering to the boy she met, Naruto. He was definitely different than the others. For one, he was nice, and two, he seemed much more… honest and real. Hinata found herself blushing and ducked her head so no one would notice. To say the least, Naruto definitely was… interesting.

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Naruto walked down the hallway slowly, his hands deep in his pockets. He wasn't worrying about being late; he would have gotten in trouble even if he wasn't. Naruto shook this thought out of his mind, instead turning to think about the girl he had met, Hinata. She was completely… different than anyone he had ever met. Not just the fact that she was blind, but… she just seemed real. Naruto felt himself smiling a bit at how small she was. He was short himself, but this girl gave a new definition to the word _petite. _

Naruto frowned as he realized how much teasing she must be getting. Kids in this school were evil, and only cared about what was normal or "in". He doubted being blind was on their top ten list of things to pose as. The boy shook his head again; he needed to stop thinking these things. Hating the world and feeling bad for her or himself wouldn't help anyone. Suddenly he made a promise; he would watch after Hinata, even if she didn't want her to, and make sure to protect her whenever he could. Naruto wasn't sure why he made this sudden vow, but anyone knew that if Naruto made a vow, he would keep it.

Eventually he made it to his class and everyone turned as he walked in. His teacher sent him a hateful glare.

"Naruto Uzamaki," he spat in disgust, "Just where have you been?" Naruto sucked in a deep breath, ready to put out the best fake grin he could muster.

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Hinata shifted her bag on her shoulder as she once again shuffled amongst the traffic of teens honking in the hallway. As hummers and bugs honked their horns and parked by each other's lockers, Hinata carefully tried to avoid running into anyone. A few times someone would put on their breaks in front of her, and she'd crash right into him. Always she would hear them turn and honk, "Hey, what are you, blind?" Each time she would feel her cheeks heat up, her eyes prickled with mounting tears, and she'd whisper an unheard apology before maneuvering around them.

Sometimes she wondered if they felt bad about saying that when they turned to see her sunglass-ed face and cane- clutching hand, but more than that she told herself that they probably didn't care, that they probably did it on purpose. She didn't know why she told herself this, why she constantly tried to keep her hopes low. Perhaps because it was all she knew, and she didn't want her heart to take that hard of a blow when everything blew up in her face as it was bound to.

Unfortunately, it was lunch time, so the crowd was twice as rowdy and twice as uncaring if they knocked into a blind girl as they usually were. Not that Hinata blamed them, of course. Would she be the same if she was in their place? Hinata doubted it, but she had no way of knowing, did she? She shifted her bag again when suddenly a barrage of noise erupted in her ears, making her flinch; she had reached the cafeteria. Instead of worrying where she was going to sit, or going to look for the friends she didn't actually have, she felt her way around the tables and chairs, passing obnoxious girls and repulsive boys, towards the back door.

By some miracle, Hinata finally found it and was able to push it open with her small shoulder, immediately feeling a light breeze brush her face as she stepped outside, the door closing behind her. Hinata felt a small smile grace her face when suddenly she heard a voice call out.

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Naruto was sitting in the grass outside, his face turned up to the sky while his eyes were closed, letting the sun warm his face. It was lunch time, and seeing as how no one would think to let him sit at their table and he didn't like being inside that crowded place, anyway, he had resided to sit by the back door alone. Alone, that was, until he heard the back door open. He felt disappointment and slight anger in his stomach as he turned to see who had interrupted his reverie.

These feelings disappeared when his eyes landed on the girl from before, Hinata. She stood on the small steps that led from the door, letting it close behind her. Naruto watched in some small amazement as the tiny ghost of a smile appeared on her lips.

"Hey," he called. Hinata's smile disappeared as she jumped and turned towards the source of the voice. She felt her face heat up and immediately ducked her head.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered, and turned to go back in. Naruto stood from his spot and placed a hand carefully on her arm, which was outstretched to grab the door handle. Hinata jumped again and flinched. Naruto's eyes softened and his heart automatically dropped at the thought of Hinata having to think any sort of touch would be to hurt her.

"You don't have to go," he told her, "It's me, Naruto." Hinata's eyes widened behind her sun glasses as she realized why she recognized the voice so much. When she didn't respond, Naruto tugged lightly on her shirt sleeve.

"Come on, why don't you sit with me? If that's alright, I mean…" Naruto was expecting her to say no, so his jaw dropped a bit when, after a moment of hesitation, Hinata nodded. Naruto quickly recovered and smiled. He lead her over to his previous spot, where he waited for her to sit down before taking a seat next to her.

"So where's your lunch?" he asked, noticing that she didn't hold anything in her hands and she didn't seem to be getting anything out of her bag. Hinata pressed her finger tips together, a blush painting her cheeks. She shrugged, and after a moment of silence Naruto determined that she wasn't going to say anything else on the subject. It was silent as Hinata continued to press her finger tips together, and Naruto leaned back on the palms of his hands. Surprisingly, the silence wasn't an uncomfortable one; it was companionable, almost natural. They sat in the comfortable silence until they heard the faint sound of the school bell ringing, signaling the end of lunch.

The two gathered their things and Naruto surprised her by holding the door open for her when they went back in.

"Well, see you later, Hinata!" he said. Hinata's face reddened and she nodded. Naruto hesitated a moment, watching her as she turned and started walking down the hallway. He didn't want to just leave her so she had to go to her class alone. Naruto shook his head. Hinata didn't need to be babied; that was probably the last thing she wanted. With one last glance at the small girl, Naruto turned and began walking to yet another class he would get in trouble in for something he didn't do. _Good luck, Hinata._

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**There you go! I hope you liked it :) Don't worry, new characters will be introduced soon, I promise. Anyways, don't be shy to tell me who you want, or if you just want to review ;) Anyways, see ya!**


	3. New

**Hola! I'd just like to thank those who reviewed and stuff. I love you :) haha just kidding... or am I? o.O anyways, you made me feels alls specials, so I decided to go ahead and add someone else :) can you guess who? Can ya? Can ya? CAN YA? Sorry :) It's late, and I get a bit... hyper :) Anyways, read on my dears, read on!**

**Enjoy!**

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Hinata tapped her way out of the school, stopping when her walking stick met air where the curb dropped off. She took a few steps back and stood patiently for a while. Teens shouted all around her, making plans with each other and promising to see each other tomorrow. Hinata couldn't help but wonder if Naruto was making plans with his friends when suddenly someone grabbed her elbow.

"Hinata." Hinata relaxed when she recognized her cousin Neji's cold voice. She allowed him to pull her across the street, and she heard him open a car door before helping her inside. The familiar smell of leather and perfume reached her nose as Neji closed the door behind her and she heard him climb into the front seat.

"Hey, Hinata!" the cheery voice of Neji's girlfriend, Tenten, reached her ears. Hinata gave a small smile in return, whispering a slight hello. She felt the car start to move and leaned her head against the window, closing her eyes as she listened to the others talk. The glass was warm, so she could tell it was sunny outside. Hinata found herself wondering what Naruto was doing. She shook her head. Why did she keep on thinking about him? Well, he _was _the only person who had been nice to her in who knew how long, and he was just so different from the others… She wondered what he thought of her… Probably thought she was a freak and just felt bad for her. Hinata felt a sharp pain in her heart, but she knew it was better than what would come later if she allowed herself to think she actually had a friend.

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Naruto dug his hands deep in his pockets, walking slowly down the sidewalk. He was pretty far from the school, so the yelling had disappeared and he was left with his thoughts in silence. For some reason, he couldn't get Hinata off his mind. Why did she come to this school? If she went to another school, one for people that were blind, she would be treated a lot better. So why here? Naruto shook his head. He couldn't understand her at all. She was extremely shy and mistrusting, yet she had some sort of toughness about her he just couldn't describe. He sighed and looked up just in time to see a guy about his age walking towards him. The boy had jet black hair and his hands were deep in his pockets, his eyes turned to the ground. Naruto paused a second, debating. After a moment he stepped forward, intercepting the guy.

"Hey," he greeted cheerily, though somewhat cautiously. The other teen looked up at him with black eyes matching his hair and raised an eyebrow.

"Do you go to the Leaf?" Naruto asked. This was the nick name people had given the high school. The black haired teen shrugged.

"I guess," he muttered, "I just moved here."

"Oh," Naruto said in surprise, and then grinned, "Well I'm Naruto, nice to meet ya!" The other boy raised an eyebrow but took Naruto's outstretched hand and shook it.

"Sasuke. Sasuke Uchiha."

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**:O Sasuke's here! Super short, I know, but what can I say? I like to keep you waiting :) Anyways, review and stuff! BYES!**


	4. Friends

**Back! Hello! I know the last one was super duper short, and I've made myself and you guys a vow that I will hurry and move the story along! I mean, it's a VERY delicate process, so one cannot rush things :) anyways, hope you like it! Tell me who you want and stuff!**

**Enjoy!**

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Hinata entered her classroom in the morning, settling in the same seat she had before. For once she didn't hear the other kids, or even the comments they tossed to each other about her. Her mind was too busy thinking about the newest addition to her daily routine; Naruto. Would he be in the same spot at lunch as he was yesterday? Would he let her sit with him again? She had wondered why he wasn't with his friends, and now she figured that today he would go sit with them. Hinata let out a small, inaudible sigh. It was fine while it lasted, but every good thing had to come to an end. She had actually been surprised when he had remembered her yesterday.

Hinata shook her head. He would have forgotten about her now. Everything would just go back to the way it was before, where she was alone in a world she couldn't see.

The young blind girl walked past the cafeteria again; on her way to the back door she had discovered a while ago when she was trying to avoid everyone else. She struggled a bit but finally managed to shove the door open and step outside. The light breeze was back, and she almost smiled.

"Hinata!" Said girl jumped a mile high and whipped around towards the voice.

"Hey Hinata, wanna sit with us?" Naruto's voice called to her. Hinata was about to respond when she halted. Us? Naruto could see Hinata inching back towards the door and stood.

"It's alright, Hinata," he said nicely, placing a hand on her shoulder to have her jump under his hand, "It's just me and my new friend. He's fine, don't worry. He's kind of like you, actually, since neither of you talk much." Hinata allowed him to pull her back towards the spot they sat yesterday and eased herself down. Naruto plopped unceremoniously down next to her.

"Hinata, this is Sasuke," he introduced, taking her hand and bringing it to someone else's, "Sasuke, Hinata." The two shook hands before Hinata retracted hers to once again press her finger tips together.

"I met Sasuke yesterday after school," Naruto explained, "He just moved here from… Somewhere…" Sasuke rolled his eyes at him.

"I can speak for myself, idiot," he muttered in a low voice.

Hinata flinched a bit and started to inch away. Naruto hurriedly grabbed her wrist.

"No, it's alright, Hinata," he told her, "Sasuke's not all horrible. He's just brutally honest and kind of mean, that's all. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Right, Sasuke?" Sasuke scoffed but stayed silent. Naruto looked around and noticed none of them had lunches.

"Why don't you guys have food? Aren't you hungry?" he asked. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"We could ask you the same thing." Naruto suddenly turned away, shrugging.

"Just not hungry, that's all," he said, sporting a fake grin. Even Hinata, who couldn't see his face, knew that he was lying through his teeth, though neither she nor Sasuke knew why. None of them bothered asking, though; there seemed to be a silent agreement passed between the three that no one would ask about each other's lives until they offered. Sasuke crossed his arms and leaned his back against the school wall, looking down into his lap as if thinking about something. Hinata continued to silently push her finger tips together while Naruto picked at the grass in front of him.

It was silent for a long while, and while Naruto was alright with the quiet at times, he found himself getting restless. Just when he opened his mouth to try and start up a conversation, the bell rang inside. Naruto let out the breath in a sigh and they all filed in, tossing good byes at each other as they went their separate ways. Hinata could feel something building in her heart that she didn't recognize. Did she have friends? Her heart built and a smile spread on her face, and for once she couldn't help but let a glimmer of hope push through to the surface.

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The next day, Hinata sat with the two boys again outside. Once again they sat in silence until finally Naruto sighed.

"It's too quiet," he huffed. Sasuke rolled his eyes at him while Hinata blushed and pushed her fingers together.

"Fine then, why don't you tell us about those?" Hinata couldn't tell what he was talking about, but it suddenly went dead silent.

"T-There nothing," Naruto said after a while, "Just… been there since I was little, that's all."

Hinata let out a small sigh.

"I wish I could see what you were talking about," she whispered quietly. Unfortunately, this didn't go unheard by Naruto. He shook his head.

"No you don't, trust me." It was Hinata's turn to shake her head.

"I just don't like… being left out…" she admitted quietly, ducking her head. Naruto observed her a while, debating. Finally he let out a defeated sigh and took hold of her hands. Hinata squeaked a bit when he grabbed her hands and started raising them. The tips of her fingers brushed against smooth skin, and she automatically tried to pull back. Naruto kept a firm hold on her hands, his eyes not leaving her flushed face for a second.

"Trust me, Hinata," he told her quietly. Hinata, surprised by his soft tone, complied and let him place her hands on the sides of his face. She frowned in confusion before her fingers met a thin bump along his cheek. Hinata gasped a bit as her fingers lightly sketched the length of the scar, which almost ran all the way to his ear. Naruto brought her hands down a bit to another line, and she again traced it. In all there were three long scars running across both of his cheeks. Naruto allowed her to take her hands back and turned away, sure that she would think he was a freak now. Even if Hinata was one of the nicest people he had ever met, anyone who saw or just _felt _the scars on his face automatically moved away.

Hinata sat silent for a moment, carefully rubbing her fingers together.

"W-What happened?" she asked breathily. Naruto rubbed the back of his head and shrugged, though she couldn't see it.

"Nothing. I told you, I've had them since I was little. I don't know where I got them." Both Sasuke and Hinata knew he was lying, but said no more on the subject. After a while the bell rang again, and the two walked back inside.

"Later, loser," Sasuke tossed to Naruto as he walked off. Naruto waved back at him.

"N-Naruto…" Uh oh. Naruto swallowed and turned to Hinata. He shuffled his feet nervously.

"Uh, hey Hinata, what's up?" he asked in as much of a cheerful voice as he could manage. Hinata looked down at the floor for a moment before looking up and giving him a small, shy smile.

"I-I'll talk to you tomorrow, r-right?" Naruto blinked at her in disbelief before shaking his head and grinning.

"Sure thing, Hinata," he exclaimed, "We're friends after all, aren't we?" Hinata's smile grew wider, and Naruto found himself momentarily stunned.

"Y-Yes, N-Naruto. Goodbye…" Hinata walked away, tapping her walking stick in front of her, leaving Naruto to be mesmerized. He had almost been positive that she was going to ask him about his face. After all, most people would have. Naruto turned and started walking, digging his hands into his pockets thoughtfully. After a moment he smiled. Well, Hinata was definitely not most people, and right then he was truly glad he had decided to be late that first day he met her. Maybe, just maybe, he would actually have friends.

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**There we are :) So we have our new addition, Sasuke, and we have been introduced to the strange whisker- like scars on Naruto's face that he doesn't seem to want to talk about... It seems as if they all have secrets, eh? Well, hope you liked it! Review and stuff, BYES!**


	5. Secrets

**Back once again! Thanks again to all you guys who commented and stuff! Now, I know the summary isn't very good, so I'm going to put the actual summary right here! I would put it on the others, but that gets all complicated and stuff, so yeah! Anyways...**

**Summary: Hinata is an extremely shy high school student- not to mention a _blind _high school student. She meets a boy named Naruto who, despite his cheery disposition, seems to be hoarding a ton of secrets, one that is almost unbelievable. Together this unlikely duo strings together an even more unlikely group of friends. Together they'll discover each other and that everyone has secrets. Friendship, Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, almost everything on the list :) **

**Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

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Sasuke walked into the school slowly, taking his time and not worrying about the screaming kids around him. His mind was preoccupied; he was busy thinking about his new… friends. It felt weird calling them that, but Sasuke was sure that's what they were. He had been surprised when Naruto first talked to him, and he was still curious about those whisker- like scars on his face even though Naruto had just brushed them off. Sasuke had agreed to sit with Naruto since he didn't want to bother trying to find somewhere else and be annoyed by everyone else.

Naruto was pretty annoying sometimes since he was always talking, but for some reason Sasuke didn't mind. Then Naruto had introduced him to Hinata, and his curiosity had grown upon seeing the blind girl. _They certainly are a strange pair, _Sasuke thought_, and together we're an even weirder trio. _A kid accidentally knocked into him, and Sasuke sent him a deadly glare. The boy stuttered a quick apology before rushing off. Sasuke adjusted his bag and continued walking, now aware of people looking at him strangely. He ignored them; what did it matter what they were thinking? He had his secrets, and they had theirs. Just then someone else bumped into him and he turned to send another glare.

Sasuke stopped short when his eyes fell on Hinata, whose face was bright red.

"S-Sorry," she whispered so quietly that he had trouble hearing it. Sasuke adjusted his bag again.

"Fine," he said shortly. Hinata paused a moment.

"S-Sasuke?" she asked. He looked down at her in surprise for a moment before turning away.

"Yeah," he said. Hinata went quiet and together they walked silently down the hallway. Someone bumped into Hinata and Sasuke sent them a glare, making them run away. All of this was missed by Hinata, who was used to being knocked over or pushed, accidentally or otherwise.

"How long have you met Naruto?" Sasuke suddenly asked. It wasn't usually like him to make conversation, but he couldn't help but be interested. Hinata jumped a bit before blushing and ducking her head.

"J-Just a few d-days," she whispered, "H-He helped me find m-my walking stick…" Sasuke dug his hands into his pockets thoughtfully and it was quiet again. It seemed that, though he was annoying, Naruto was a pretty nice guy, no matter if he seemed like he had a lot of secrets or not.

Right then Sasuke spotted a girl with long blond hair standing by her locker. Her blue eyes were somber as she began tying a bandana over her hair. He didn't know why she stood out so much, but Sasuke felt that she had a lot of secrets. _Since when am I obsessed with people's secrets? _He thought. Before he came here, he didn't care about anyone. Sasuke glanced down at the small blind girl at his side. _Maybe it's this girl, Hinata, and that guy Naruto. They just have a way of… getting to people. _Sasuke looked back up at the blond girl.

Her friend, a girl with strange pink hair that stood at the blonde's side, noticed him looking and sent him an icy glare with bright green eyes. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, and the girl's eyes hardened. As they got closer, the girl stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. Sasuke grabbed Hinata's arm and pulled her back before she ran into her.

"Is there a problem?" the girl growled. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.

"Is there?" he asked. The girl practically hissed at him, and he could have sworn he saw steam coming from her ears.

"Stop staring at Ino, you as-"

"Sakura," the blond, who Sasuke was assuming was Ino, said as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder. The one named Sakura reluctantly turned away from Sasuke to look at her friend.

"It's fine," Ino told her with a slight smile before turning to Sasuke and Hinata, "I'm sorry about her. She's kind of overprotective." Sasuke simply nodded while Sakura resumed glaring at him. Ino glanced at Hinata and paused.

"So what's your name?" she asked Sasuke, looking at him and continuing to glance at Hinata.

"Sasuke," he answered, "this is Hinata." Ino nodded and smiled a bit.

"Nice to meet you, Hinata," she called. Hinata jumped a bit at the mention of her name and ducked her head, nodding a bit. Ino's smile grew a little before she turned back to Sasuke.

"Well, I'll see you around, I guess," she said, and gave him a wave before pulling Sakura away, who gave him one last glare before complying and disappearing into the crowd. Sasuke watched after them for a moment before starting to walk, tugging on Hinata's sleeve a bit so she knew he was leaving. Hinata followed him silently for a moment.

"W-What was that a-about?" she asked quietly. Sasuke dug his hands in his pockets again.

"Nothing," he told her shortly, "That Sakura girl is just really protective of her friends." Hinata nodded her understanding and they fell into silence once again.

At lunch they sat outside with Naruto again, who asked how their day had gone. Sasuke was quiet about what had happened until Hinata mentioned it. Naruto frowned and turned to Sasuke.

"What happened in the hallway?" he asked interestedly. Sasuke sighed before recalling the story, and Naruto was silent for a minute before shrugging.

"Well, I guess I kind of understand being a little overprotective of the people you care about," he said thoughtfully, "But getting mad just because someone is looking at them is a bit… weird." Sasuke shrugged. They settled into silence once again before the bell rang and they went their separate ways. Naruto walked down the hallway slowly before spotting two girls by a locker. One of them had long blond hair and was bent over crying, while the other, a girl with strange pink hair, kneeled over her and tried to comfort her. The pink haired girl suddenly looked up and sent him a glare. Naruto glanced at the blond girl before looking back at the pink one.

She seemed surprised by the understanding in his eyes before Naruto turned away, deciding to take another route to class.

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**There we are :) So we've met two new people, Sakura and Ino. What secrets are they harbouring? I think I spelled that wrong, but oh well! Review and stuff~! See you next time!**


	6. Nice

**Hello there :) I hope you liked the last one, and I hope you like this one :) sorry I'm watching a movie right now and it's kind of awesome :D Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

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Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata all sat on the grass outside of the school. They had been silent ever since they had gotten there, and the only reason Hinata knew that the others were there was the occasional rustling and bored sigh from Naruto. Just then she heard the school door open and tensed. She heard footsteps coming towards them and inched away, accidentally bumping into Naruto in the process.

Naruto saw Hinata's nervousness and touched her hand reassuringly. Her face turned bright red and she ducked her head. Sasuke looked up in mild surprise to see the girls from yesterday coming towards them. Ino smiled nicely at them while Sakura glared slightly. They stopped about a foot away and Sakura crossed her arms. Ino nudged her a bit, and Sakura sighed.

"I'd just like to say sorry for blowing up yesterday," she said, not seeming very sorry about it. Ino rolled her eyes and turned to the others.

"She really is sorry, even if she doesn't sound like it," she assured them. She looked at Sasuke expectantly and Sakura glared threateningly at him. He simply shrugged.

"Ok," he said shortly. Sakura's eyes narrowed into slits and she opened her mouth to say something only to be stopped when Ino put a hand on her shoulder.

"So, would it be ok if we sat with you guys?" she asked. Sakura looked like she wanted to protest but held her tongue, instead crossing her arms and looking away. Sasuke shrugged and looked at Naruto, who turned to Hinata.

"You alright with that, Hinata?" he asked. Hinata jumped a bit.

"E-Er, of course, N-Naruto…" she answered. The two both knew how she acted around new people, and she guessed they were making sure she was comfortable with someone else sitting with them. She felt a small smile grace her lips at the thought of them caring if she was comfortable or not. Naruto turned to the other girls and grinned.

"Sure, go ahead," he said. Ino smiled gratefully and settled down next to Hinata, while Sakura huffed and plopped down next to her. It was silent for a second, an awkward silent instead of the usual comfortable silence, before Ino finally spoke.

"So you're Sasuke," she said, pointing at him, "and you're Hinata, but who are you?" The question was appointed to Naruto.

"Naruto," he said, grinning. Ino smiled while Sakura eyed him knowingly.

"I'm Ino, and this is Sakura," she said, motioning to her friend.

Naruto nodded while Sakura huffed. It was quiet again and she eyed the blond boy, Naruto. He had seen her and Ino yesterday, yet today he acted as if nothing had happened; he hadn't even asked about it like most people would. _Maybe these guys aren't like most people, _she thought, observing the group. They all seemed slightly reserved, even the loud blond, who was now blathering on about something she didn't bother to listen to. The blind girl, Hinata, was right by him, and seemed to be listening to everything he said. Finally, the black haired boy, Sasuke.

Sakura's eyes narrowed in distrust. She didn't like how rude he was, despite the fact that he hung out with such nice- seeming people like Naruto and Hinata. What was his angle in hanging out with them? Or did he just not have anyone else to go to? Sakura let out a sigh, giving up. Oh well. Hopefully this would be the last day they sat together, and the last day she had to think about any of them.

_Ino's too nice for her own good, _she thought, glancing at her friend, who was laughing at something Naruto said. Her heart squeezed and Sakura looked away. Meanwhile, Sasuke watched Sakura curiously. She seemed mean, and he knew she hated him, but every time she looked at Ino her gaze would turn sad and she'd look away. He doubted she would ever tell him what why this was if he asked, or even if he didn't. Oh well. They would probably be gone tomorrow. Sakura would most likely make sure of that. The lunch ended and they all parted ways. Sakura glanced back at the others as her and Ino walked to class.

"Why did we have to sit with them?" she asked. Ino sighed and shrugged.

"I don't know, they seem nice," she said, smiling a little, "They're… interesting." Sakura sighed and shook her head.

"Not that Sasuke kid," she pointed out, "He's a jerk." Ino laughed.

"You're just mad because you think he's cute!" Sakura's face reddened as she protested loudly, Ino still laughing at her. The voices died down and it was quiet again.

"Sometimes I think you're too nice for your own good, Ino," Sakura admitted. Ino shook her head.

"What does a person have if they don't have the choice to be nice?" she asked, "I choose to be nice because everyone has a history, Sakura, everyone. Me, you, most likely Hinata and Naruto, even Sasuke. If I don't choose to make other people happy, what do I have?" Sakura looked away.

"You have me…" Ino smiled and hugged her friend.

"I know," she murmured, "I know. And I appreciate it, Sakura. I really do." Ino pulled away and gave her friend a large smile.

"Now come on, we don't want to be late, do we?"

* * *

**Wala! Hope ya liked it! Sorry still watching the movie... still being distracted... hehe ^^" Anyways, review por favor! I get so lonely when I don't get one :( Alright, if you have any suggestions just let me know! See ya!**


	7. Bonding

**Back once again :) Dudesss, I know the chapters have been super duper short, idk why, that's just how I wrote them. But from now on I will try to make them longer while still making them as awesome as awesomely possible :) Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day, the three sat down in the grass for lunch only to be surprised by Ino and Sakura coming to sit with them. Sasuke eyed them suspiciously but kept silent. Hinata inched closer to Naruto again. It wasn't that she didn't like the girls; she just hadn't ever been comfortable with other girls, especially her age. Naruto noticed this and nudged her shoulder.

"Are you ok?" he whispered in her ear. Hinata blushed deep red at the sudden proximity but nodded. Ino noticed this exchange and smiled a bit as she sat down. Sakura sat next to her, observing the others warily. She hadn't wanted to sit here again at first, but Ino could be very persuasive, and she always had a hard time saying no to her friend.

"How is everyone?" Ino asked cheerily. Sasuke shrugged while Hinata whispered a faint "fine" and Naruto exclaimed loudly about how awesome his day had gone. Ino smiled at him and listened to him talk while Sakura ignored him and looked around. She caught Sasuke's eye and raised an eyebrow. He raised an eyebrow back, and that was when the staring contest started. Ino saw this and grinned a bit. _Look at that, _she thought, _Sakura's bonding. _Both of their gazes had changed into glares, and Ino could practically see lightening strike in between each other. She giggled and everyone turned to her. Naruto glanced at Hinata and Sakura and Sasuke shared a confused glance as Ino continued to uncontrollably laugh.

"Uh, Ino?" Sakura called, "Are you ok?" Ino nodded, still continuing her giggle fit. After a moment her laughs calmed down and everyone looked at her questioningly. She giggled a bit.

"Sorry," she said, grinning. Hinata kept quiet while Naruto grinned back at her and Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Sakura frowned. She hadn't heard Ino laugh like that in a while. What was she laughing at? Sakura pushed it out of her mind, deciding to ask her about it later. It was silent the rest of the time, some of them making a few comments or asking questions. Finally the bell rang inside and they all split ways, throwing good byes to each other.

"So what were you laughing about earlier?" Sakura finally asked. Ino giggled.

"You and Sasuke glaring at each other," she laughed, "I could practically see the sparks between you two!" Sakura's face turned beat red and she scowled.

"Whatever," she muttered, "He started it…" Ino giggled again and then turned to see the strangest looking boy she had ever seen.

He had black hair styled in a bowl cut and huge bushy eyebrows. Not only that, but he also wore a bright green spandex suit. A couple guys were making fun of him, and one shoved him against the locker. Ino's eyes hardened and she hurried forward, stepping right in front of him.

"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped, placing her hands on her hips. The guys glanced at each other in confusion. Sakura groaned and stepped in front of Ino, sending the guys a deadly glare.

"Leave," she ordered in a low voice, "Now." Guys weren't usual keen on letting girls tell them what to do, but just then the girl seemed ready to kill them, so they got out of there fast. Sakura smirked in satisfaction before turning to see Ino already talking to the weird guy.

"Are you ok?" Ino asked, "Did they hurt you?" The boy shook his head.

"I am fine, thank you for your assistance!" he exclaimed in a loud voice, hitting his chest with a fist. Sakura rubbed her temples and sighed.

"Um, no problem," Ino answered, smiling a bit, "Hey, do want to sit with me and my friends tomorrow at lunch? We sit outside and we don't sit with a lot of people, so—"

"Of course, thank you!" the guy immediately exclaimed, "My name is Lee, it is nice to meet you!"

"I'm Ino," she said, raising an eyebrow a bit, "This is Sakura." Sakura sighed. _Here we go again…_

_

* * *

_

Naruto grinned at Sasuke. They were both walking home from school, having said good bye to Hinata at the front of the school.

"So what do you think of Sakura?" he asked, nudging him and raising his eyebrows. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at him.

"What are you talking about, idiot?" he sighed. Naruto laughed.

"You're kidding me, right? I saw you staring at her, don't deny it!" Naruto burst out laughing as Sasuke scowled and looked away, a blush spreading on his cheeks.

"Idiot," Sasuke muttered, trying to regain his pride and failing miserably. Naruto shook his head, grinning.

"Don't worry, I won't tell her," he said, winking. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Oh yeah? What about you and Hinata?" Naruto frowned.

"What do you mean?" Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Either you're kidding or you're dumber than I thought," he said, then added quietly, "Which is saying something."

"Hey!" Naruto protested, catching his words, "It's not my fault! What do you mean?" Sasuke sighed and rolled his eyes, digging his hands deep into his pockets.

"Just forget about it," he dismissed. Naruto eyed him for a moment before shrugging to himself and turning away. Maybe he could ask Hinata about it tomorrow. For some reason, even Naruto didn't think this was the greatest idea.

* * *

**Lol I didn't realize how super super short this was until I started uploading it :D but no worries, the next one will be uploaded soon and I promise it will be much longer :) Alright, see ya!**


	8. Bittersweet

**Hey there! I told you it would be uploaded soon :) I am SOOO the Update Queen, Fanfiction Lady, whatever, I just rock :D anyways, I promised for it to be longer, and so I kept my promise! I hope you like it, and Review please!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey Hinata!" Hinata jumped up at the sudden loud voice and tripped. She started to fall when strong arms wrapped around her and caught her.

"Oh, sorry about that, Hinata," she heard Naruto's voice say, chuckling a bit.

"I-It's ok, N-Naruto." People in the hallway swerved around the two, not bothering to apologize if they knocked into them.

"What's goin on, Hinata?" Naruto asked cheerily, grinning down at her. Hinata's face was bright red.

"N-Naruto…"

"Hmm? Yeah, what is it Hinata?"

"Y-You can let go o-of me now…" Naruto then realized he was still holding Hinata around the waist. He let go and felt his face warm up.

"Oh, eh, sorry Hinata," he said, chuckling. Hinata nodded and shifted her bag. Together they started walking down the hallway, Naruto keeping close by her side in case anyone bumped into her.

"So, how're you doin', Hinata?" he asked.

"F-fine…" Naruto frowned.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" he asked. He knew she wouldn't tell him unless he asked. Hinata shook her head.

"I-It's nothing, just… I-I have to w-walk home after s-school today…" Naruto frowned.

"What do you mean? Why would you have to walk home?"

"M-My father is in a m-meeting, and my cousin i-is busy," she answered quietly. Naruto's frown deepened.

"So they're just gonna make you walk home? Do you know how to get there? Have you ever walked home by yourself before?" Questions swarmed his mind, but he couldn't help it; Naruto felt himself consumed with worry by the thought of weak, blind Hinata trying to find her way home after school.

"N-No," she answered, "B-But my father s-said I should learn t-to do things by myself…" Naruto shook his head.

"Maybe you should, but letting you get lost won't help anything," he protested, "What's your father's name?" Hinata jumped a bit.

"E-Eh, what? O-Oh… Hiashi Hyuuga, but—" Just then the bell rang.

"Aw man, I have to go, Hinata," Naruto told her, "If I'm late again I'll get suspended. See you later!"

"G-Good bye, N-Naruto…."

* * *

They were all surprised when Sakura and Ino showed up at lunch with another person. All of them introduced themselves and settled down.

"Hey bushy brow," Naruto greeted the kid, Lee, "How's it goin'?"

"Hello my youthful friend!" Lee replied loudly, "I am fine! How are you?" Sasuke groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Man, he's even louder than Naruto," he muttered. Sakura rolled her eyes, also.

"Tell me about it." Neither Lee nor Naruto seemed to hear these complaints as they continued their conversation. Even Ino had to admit that they got on her nerves a bit after a while. Hinata didn't show any emotion other than a small smile that was often on her face. The talking died down and Naruto found himself watching Hinata. She always had those dark sunglasses on that covered her eyes… what did they look like?

"Naruto, what are you staring at?" Naruto turned to the others, who were all looking at him.

"Do what?" he said stupidly. Sasuke raised an eyebrow while Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Why are you staring at Hinata?" Ino asked. Hinata's face flushed deep red. _He was staring at me?_ Naruto blushed and shrugged, rubbing the back of his head.

"I was just wondering what her eyes looked like…" he mumbled, "You know, what color they are. I've never seen them since they're covered with her sunglasses all the time…" It went silent and Hinata could almost feel their eyes on her.

"I-I can show you if you want, N-Naruto," she whispered quietly.

"Oh no, you don't have to, Hinata—" Naruto began to protest, but Hinata had already taken off her sunglasses and set them in her lap. She drew in a breath before raising her eyes, and everyone stared at her. White, almost with a lavender tint, eyes gazed unfocused past them, and it was dead silent, and Hinata was starting to grow nervous.

"Winter," Naruto blurted out. Everyone with the exception of Hinata looked at him weird.

"What?" Ino asked.

"Winter," Naruto repeated, still gazing at Hinata, "Her eyes remind me of snow and winter. Hinata has winter's eyes." Hinata blushed and ducked her head. Ino smiled at the girl.

"I really like your eyes, Hinata," she told her, "They're pretty."

"Yeah," Sakura added.

"I agree," Lee stated, "They are like winter. Very pretty."

Sasuke simply grunted, but the others knew that was his way of agreeing. Hinata blushed deep red, a small smile spreading on her face. She wasn't used to getting this much praise, and it made her smile widen when she thought of the people it came from. Hinata slipped her sunglasses back on and it was quiet for a moment.

"I…" Everyone turned to Hinata in surprise. Hinata knew this, though she couldn't see them, and she swallowed before going on.

"I-I wasn't always like t-this…" They all stared at her.

"You mean you weren't always blind?" Naruto asked. Hinata shook her head, pressing the tips of her fingers together.

"W-When I w-was about nine," she whispered, "T-There was an accident… W-When I woke up, I c-couldn't see…" Everyone was silent. Ino rubbed the girl's arm sympathetically while Sakura looked away. Sasuke stared down at his lap as if thinking about something and Lee stared off into the distance. Naruto put a hand over Hinata's, wishing he could do something but knowing he couldn't.

"Naruto," Sakura started, "What happened with the scars on your face?" Ino glared at her slightly for the blunt question while the air tensed. Hinata could feel Naruto's hand tighten around hers.

"H-He's had them since he w-was little," she answered for him, quietly, "H-He doesn't know how he got t-them." Everyone knew she was lying, but no one pushed the subject further. Sakura glanced at Sasuke, who just shook his head. Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand lightly in thanks, and she leaned on him slightly in response. It was silent again, as no one seemed to want to risk trying to start a conversation. Finally the bell rang, and they all split up.

"You shouldn't have asked it like that," Ino said. Sakura sighed.

"How was I supposed to know?" she asked. Ino shook her head.

"Everyone has secrets, Sakura," she answered solemnly, looking her friend straight in the eye, "It's their choice whether they want to reveal them or not. We just got to know them. Hinata was obviously lying for his sake, because either she knows the truth or that's what he told them and she knows it isn't the truth. Either way, if he ever needs or wants to tell us, he will. We just have to wait for him to make that choice." Sakura sighed again.

"I know, I know… It seems everyone in this group cares about each other, but everyone has secrets in this little group, huh?" Ino laughed bitterly.

"Yeah, I guess," she said quietly, "Talk about bittersweet."

* * *

Naruto found Hinata outside after school, standing uncertainly on the sidewalk. He walked up beside her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey Hinata!" he greeted. Hinata relaxed her tense shoulders when she heard his familiar voice.

"Hello, N-Naruto," she whispered, "W-What are you doing h-here? D-Don't you usually walk h-home with Sasuke?" Naruto shrugged even though she couldn't see it and slipped his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah, but I decided to walk you home today, if that's ok," he said. Hinata blushed a bit.

"But N-Naruto… D-Do you know where I l-live?" Naruto grinned.

"Yep! I looked up your dad's name and found the address! Turns out your dad is some big business guy!" he told her, "So just trust me, Hinata! I'll get you home!" Hinata smiled a bit when Naruto suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her forward.

"C'mon, Hinata!" he shouted, hauling her off the curb and across the street, "Let's go!" Hinata stumbled a bit as he pulled her along and shook her head; this was going to be a _long_ walk.

After a while Naruto finally calmed down and they walked side by side on the sidewalk, Naruto keeping close to her so he could pull her in case they needed to turn or cross the street.

"So what do you think?" he asked, "Sakura, Ino, and Bushy Brow sit with us now. Are you ok with that?" Hinata frowned a bit.

"'B-Bushy-brow?'"

"Oh yeah, that's right!" he exclaimed, "That Lee guy. He has super bushy eyebrows and wears a green spandex thingy. It's super weird but he seems ok. But are you ok with them sitting with you?"

"Y-Yes," Hinata replied softly, noticing he said 'you' instead of 'we', "It's f-fine…" Naruto frowned down at her.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" he asked worriedly. Hinata held her breath for a moment. It seemed that Naruto always knew when something was on her mind.

"I-It's just… d-do you think of m-me as a friend, N-Naruto?" she asked even quieter than before, to where he almost didn't hear it.

"Of course I do, Hinata!" he responded immediately, "Why wouldn't I?" Hinata simply shrugged and ducked her head. Naruto paused a moment.

"Am… I your friend, Hinata?" he asked hesitantly. He didn't know why he was so apprehensive about the answer, but he felt his worry building by each second.

"O-Of course, N-Naruto," she told him, "Y-You're one of my b-best friends…" _And one of my only, _she thought, but refrained from adding that part on. Naruto grinned.

"Thanks, Hinata! You're one of mine, too!" They fell into a comfortable, companionable silence then, both in their own thoughts. After a few twists and turns, Naruto spotted the place he was looking for; the Hyuuga mansion, a humongous house that looked way too formal for someone as nice and simple as Hinata.

"Here we are!" he announced, walking her to the front door, "Home sweet home! Didn't I tell ya I'd get you here?" Hinata smiled a bit.

"Y-Yes, thank y-you, N-Naruto…" Naruto hesitated a moment, feeling his nerves twisting in his stomach.

"Listen Hinata, about earlier—" Hinata shook her head, interrupting him.

"It's fine, N-Naruto," she told him, "I-It's your story to tell. I-If you ever w-want to… you k-know you can t-trust me, right N-Naruto?" Naruto smiled at her.

"Yeah, Hinata," he said in a surprisingly gentle voice, "Thanks." Naruto wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. Hinata squeaked a bit at the sudden embrace, but then wrapped her arms around him and returned the hug, though her face was bright red. Finally Naruto pulled away and grinned.

"Thanks, Hinata! See you tomorrow!" Hinata heard the grin in his voice and smiled back.

"G-Good bye, N-Naruto," she whispered back, and waited a moment to listen to his foot steps walk a bit before she opened the door and slipped inside.

Naruto dug his hands in his pockets. It was starting to get colder and colder. He wouldn't be surprised if it started to snow soon. Just then he tripped over something and stumbled to catch his balance. He turned to see that it was a booted foot, belonging to a boy about his age that was leaning against the wall of an old building. Naruto glanced around and kneeled before the guy. Light snores came from his mouth, and Naruto wondered how anyone could fall asleep outside, especially when it was starting to get cold.

"Hey," Naruto called, nudging the guy's foot, "Hey you, wake up." The guy groaned and blinked his eyes open. He didn't bother to cover a large yawn as he sat up and scratched the back of his head. After a moment his eyes focused on Naruto and he blinked at him.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a bored voice. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"How come you're sleeping outside?" he asked. The guy shrugged and stretched again.

"Well, do you go to the Leaf?" The guy nodded and stood, Naruto following him.

"Oh," Naruto continued, "Well… what's your name?" The boy rubbed the back of his neck.

"Jeez, you're insistent, aren't you? The names Shikamaru."

"I'm Naruto," Naruto greeted, holding out his hand. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at him but shook his hand anyway. When he let go he stifled another yawn before digging his hand into his pocket.

"So, you wanna sit with me at lunch tomorrow?" Naruto asked. Shikamaru arched an eyebrow again.

"You're weird," he said, "But alright." He finished with a shrug.

"Well, I gotta go," he said, starting to walk away, "See ya." Shikamaru waved a hand over his shoulder and Naruto waved back. Naruto grinned. He might have just made another friend. Naruto frowned a bit when the thought of going home came to mind. Hmm, what a bittersweet way to end the day.

* * *

**There! Hope you liked it :) If not, go suck monkey nuts! I'm kidding... maybe... ^^" hehe... sorry. it's about... 2:28 am so I'm sorta loopy... But that is how much I care and am dedicated to you :) Anyways, Review and stuff por favor! And give me suggestions and what not! BYES!**


	9. Caring

**Haha! I feel so loved :) All the reviews and shtuff... makes me all emotional :') lol jk, or am I? that's for you to decide! Anyways, I again tried to make it longer but keep the awesomeness as much as I could, so here it is! Beware- if you are terrified of some sad stuff, this story might not be good for you... Usually I don't do sad stuff, but this is... well, different. Anyways, **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

When everyone showed up the next day, Naruto introduced them all to Shikamaru, who lazily waved and sat down.

"Jeez, Naruto, how many people are you going to bring out here before they fill up the entire yard?" Sakura asked. Naruto grinned and shrugged.

"Hey, I just can't stop from inviting people, ya know?" Sakura shook her head as Ino smiled and Hinata giggled a little. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, observing the group. He could tell already that they were all hiding secrets from each other. His eyes roamed to Ino, who decided to cough right then. The others didn't seem to notice, but Sakura looked at her worriedly while Ino just waved her off. Shikamaru observed her more, his eyes narrowed. Finally he sighed and looked away. How… unfortunate.

"I heard it was going to rain today," Ino announced. Everyone glance up at the sky, and Sasuke shrugged.

"It doesn't look like it's going to be any time soon," he responded. The others agreed and they continued talking. Soon Shikamaru fell asleep, and Sakura shook her head.

"What's with him?" she asked, "Is sleep all he ever does?" Naruto shrugged.

"That's what he was doing when I first met him, so I guess so," he told her. It was silent for a while, the only sound being the breeze ruffling the grass and Shikamaru's light snores.

"So tell me, Bushy Brow," Naruto started, interrupting the silence, "Why do you wear green spandex? And why do you have a bowl cut? And why are your eyebrows so bushy?" Sakura shook her head as Ino covered a giggle.

"Why, you ask?" Lee said, "It is because I am honoring Gai- sensei!" Everyone glanced at each other in confusion.

"Eh, who?" Lee shook his head and pounded his chest with his fist.

"He was my karate teacher and adoptive father," he told them, smiling fondly, "After my parents died in a car crash when I was six, Gai took me in and taught me to defend myself! Then he died when I was twelve in a car accident, so now I honor him by dressing as he did and doing my best at learning karate!" It was silent again. Ino smiled a bit.

"I think that's really nice, Lee," she said kindly. To Lee's shock, everyone nodded their heads and agreed. Usually when he told people this, they would say he was stupid and that he just looked stupid. But these people—these _friends_—were actually _praising_ him for it! To everyone else's surprise, tears started running in waterfalls down Lee's cheeks.

"Thank you, my friends!" he exclaimed, and went around and hugged every single person in the group, even Sasuke and Shikamaru, who had been woken up by Lee's shouting only to find himself being hugged by the loud, green spandex- wearing boy. When he finally got Lee to let go, Shikamaru rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, that's nice Lee, but do you have to wear it every day?" he asked. Despite the fact that everyone thought he had been asleep, Shikamaru had been awake enough to hear Lee's story. Lee now looked down at his jumpsuit while the others agreed.

"You could wear jeans every once in a while," Ino suggested. Sakura nodded.

"Yeah, like, at least twice a week or something."

"And an actual shirt," Sasuke added.

"And you could shave your eyebrows," Naruto threw in. Sakura turned to glare at him.

"You don't shave your eyebrows, you idiot," she told him. Naruto shrugged.

"Wax, shave, whatever," he said. Hinata giggled a bit while Sakura rolled her eyes and Ino smiled. Lee smiled fondly at the group. It wasn't often that he revealed his story to anyone, and when he did he usually got fake sympathy or indifference in response. These people… they seemed to actually understand and actually _care_. Lee smiled again and suppressed the urge to go and hug them all again. _My friends… You truly are the most caring people I've ever met…_

_

* * *

_

After school it was raining, and Naruto spotted Hinata standing on the curb in the rain without an umbrella.

"I'll catch up later, ok?" he tossed to Sasuke and Shikamaru, who nodded. Naruto watched them walk away before turning back to Hinata and walking up to her.

"Hey Hinata," he greeted loudly over the rain. Hinata only jumped slightly at the sudden voice.

"H-Hi, Naruto," she responded quietly.

"Why are you out here in the rain?" he asked, "Didn't you bring an umbrella?" Hinata shook her head.

"I-I didn't know i-it was going to rain," she told him, "A-And my f-father is running l-late for some reason…" Naruto looked around. Almost all of the kids were gone by now; only a few remained, waiting on their rides.

"Well I could walk you home again if you want," he volunteered, "I'm sure your dad just forgot or something. Or maybe he's busy again." Hinata hesitated a moment before nodding, and Naruto grinned as he took her wrist and gently pulled her across the street.

"W-What about you, N-Naruto?" she asked as they walked down the sidewalk together, "D-Don't you have an u-umbrella?" Naruto shrugged, a habit he had even though she couldn't see it.

"Nah, I don't own one," he said, "Just never got around to buying one, I guess."

"B-But what about y-your parents?" Hinata asked, "D-Didn't they get you one?" It was dead silent other than the pattering of the rain, and Hinata's heart jumped.

"N-Naruto?" she called. Was he still there? Did he get mad and leave? Naruto watched as Hinata's face grew worried, and she turned her head around even though she couldn't see. He felt horrible for making her like this, and finally he pushed his feelings aside and took hold of her wrist. Hinata jumped a mile high, and his feelings of regret and disgust with himself grew.

"Sorry Hinata," he muttered, "I'm here. I was just… thinking about something." Hinata felt her heart drop and ducked her head, knowing that it was her fault he sounded so depressed.

"I-I'm sorry," she whispered shakily. Was she crying? Naruto couldn't be sure, so he gently raised her chin and hesitantly slipped her sunglasses off. Those pretty eyes were revealed to him again, and Naruto could just see tears mounting in her glassy white orbs. Hinata stood still as stone as Naruto took her sunglasses off. What was he doing?

"It's ok, Hinata," he said finally, quietly. He found himself without the heart to slip her glasses back on and cover those beautiful, sightless eyes, so instead he slipped them on the top of her head. Naruto observed her eyes again and brushed pieces of hair from her face. By now both of them were soaked to the bone, but neither seemed to notice.

"N-Naruto…"

"Sorry Hinata," he told her, "I just wanted to see you're eyes. Are… you mad at me?" Hinata shook her head without hesitation.

"O-Of course not, N-Naruto." Naruto felt the corner of his lips lift a bit.

"Alright, Hinata," he announced, only a little less cheerful than he usually would have, "Let's get you home." Hinata smiled slightly.

"Ok, N-Naruto."

They walked down the streets in silence, simply enjoying each other's company, and eventually they made it back to Hinata's home. Naruto walked her to the front door again and turned to her.

"Well, here you are, Hinata," he announced, his smile fading a bit now that she had to go and he would be a lone again. Hinata nodded sadly, seeming to know what he was thinking.

"T-Thank you, N-Naruto," she told him, "I-I hope you're not… m-mad at me…" Naruto looked down, guilt flooding him.

"Of course not, Hinata," he told her, "You're one of the most caring people I've ever met. I don't think I could ever be mad at you." Hinata smiled, her face turning pink.

"T-Thank you, N-Naruto," she said again, "I-I hope… when you want to… y-you will come to m-me…" They both knew what she meant, and Naruto nodded.

"I will, Hinata, I promise. I just… can't," he said painfully. To his shock, Hinata then wrapped her arms around his torso and hugged him.

"I know, N-Naruto," she whispered. Naruto's eyes softened and he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. They stood there for a few minutes, just locked in each other's embrace. Finally they both let go and Hinata's face turned cherry red.

"G-Good bye, N-Naruto… Thank you…" Naruto smiled and shook his head.

"No… thanks, Hinata." Naruto gave her one last quick hug before walking away, leaving a stunned Hinata on her porch. After a moment she shook her head and entered her house, the largest grin she had ever had on her face.

Naruto walked down the street in the rain, all the time thinking of Hinata. She was... definitely the most caring person he had ever met. Naruto sighed. Too bad he couldn't be the same...

* * *

**Aw :( Sadness... Anyways, I promise not all of it will be terribly sad, there will be happy and maybe funny, but yeah. Anyways, I hope you liked it! Review and shtuff, BYES!**


	10. Mistakes

**Hey there ;) Gah, you people rock :) All the reviews, the favorites, I feel so special :D Anyways, we might be getting a bit serious here :O I hope you enjoy! Tell me if you want any characters in here, seriously! Just let me know, and I shall add them! Your wish is my demand, yada yada yada! Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day they all sat outside again, and for a while they were silent before Lee spoke.

"So… it's Friday," he announced. Everyone nodded silently. It was quiet again.

"Are… are any of us going to see each other over the weekend?" he asked cautiously. Sakura sighed.

"You mean are we going to be friends out of school, out of lunch," she deciphered. Naruto nodded. It was quiet for a moment before Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't have anything to do," he told them, surprising everyone. Naruto grinned.

"Yeah, me neither." Hinata pushed her finger tips together.

"I-I don't either…"

"Me neither," Lee announced. Shikamaru shrugged.

"All I planned to do was sleep, so I guess I don't have anything to do, either." Sakura looked over at Ino, who smiled.

"My schedule's wide open," she replied, before looking expectantly at Sakura. She sighed.

"Yeah, mine too." Naruto grinned widely at all of them.

"Alright then! It's a date!"

* * *

They all met outside in front of the school after it ended, but this time Hinata had someone else with her.

"T-This is my cousin Neji," she told everyone shyly, "Neji, this is… everyone." Everyone introduced themselves and Neji regarded them coolly. Naruto had an automatic dislike for him; he seemed judgmental, and it was hard to believe that anyone could be like that when related to Hinata.

"So where do you guys wanna go?" he asked. Ino and Sakura glanced at each other and Ino grinned.

"Mall," she announced. No one disagreed, though Naruto and Sasuke threw each other meaningful glances, so they started walking down the street. Neji eyed Sasuke. For some reason, he didn't trust the guy. Maybe it was how mysterious he looked and how rude he acted.

"Uchiha," he said, gaining the other guy's attention, "I've heard that name before." Sasuke shrugged, though his eyes narrowed.

"Do you have an older brother?" Neji asked. Everyone noticed how rigid Sasuke's body became then, and his eyes practically burned through anything that got in their way.

"No," he growled through clenched teeth. Neji observed him for a moment before turning away. Naruto blinked at Sasuke in amazement; he had never seen him that angry before. Sure, he saw him get annoyed by basically anything that breathed, and he got mad occasionally when anyone bumped into him, but Sasuke seriously looked like he wanted to kill someone. Hinata wasn't sure what had happened, but by how tense it had gotten, she suspected that Sasuke was angry. She knew how her brother could be sometimes, so she was surprised when he didn't try to push the subject further.

It was silent a moment before Naruto started up a conversation with Lee, which turned into a conversation for anyone who was willing to join. Hinata was surprised again when her cousin didn't stay constantly at her side; she walked beside Naruto (she knew because of his loud voice beside her) and she heard Neji answer other's questions every once in a while from somewhere behind her. What was his deal today?

Neji observed Naruto very carefully. Though it seemed that the boy wasn't paying much attention, Neji caught him every once in a while brushing up against Hinata, or glancing over at her to see if she was still there. Often he even tugged on her sleeve a bit if she got too close to the curb. Usually Neji would never trust anyone but himself to walk with and take care of his cousin, but Naruto was just… different. He seemed to have something genuine about him that other people normally didn't have. As Neji observed the group Hinata had chosen to surround herself with, he shook his head. They were definitely a strange gang, but they seemed genuine, he had to give her that.

They finally made it to the mall and split up, the girls and the boys. Neji was hesitant to leave Hinata, but decided that she was in good hands. He turned to the guys and watched them. Lee was stretching for some reason, Shikamaru looked like he was about to fall asleep, and both Naruto and Sasuke seemed to be watching the girls leave. As Neji looked closer, Naruto seemed to be watching Hinata and Sasuke was watching the pink haired one, Sakura or whatever.

"So," Naruto announced, looking back at the guys with a grin on his face, "What do you guys want to do?" They all glanced at each other and shrugged. Naruto sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"This might be harder than I thought," he chuckled.

* * *

"So what do you think of a makeover, Hinata?" Ino asked the poor girl, who was being dragged along by the two other teens. Hinata's face turned slightly pink.

"I-I don't think I-I would like that…" she answered honestly. Sakura smirked.

"Come on, Hinata! You could get all dressed up and stuff for Naruto!" Hinata's face now turned extremely red.

"W-What do you m-mean?" she asked. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, Hinata!" she exclaimed, "He so likes you! And you obviously like him! Aw, you guys would be so cute together!" The two girls giggled as Hinata's face turned an even darker shade of red and she ducked her head, trying to hide her flaming cheeks.

"N-No, I-"

"Oh come on, Hinata!" Sakura said, "You don't see the way he looks at you!" It went silent and Ino sent her a glare. Sakura silently cursed herself.

"Er, sorry, Hinata…" Hinata smiled a little, though it seemed a bit forced, and shook her head.

"I-It's alright, S-Sakura. I know w-what you meant." Ino hummed a bit.

"Well, while we're here we could at least pick up some new clothes!" she announced, grinning. Sakura grinned back.

"Definitely!"

* * *

The guys had walked around for a while before going back to the same place they started to wait on the girls. It was silent for a while before Neji spoke to Sasuke, quietly.

"What happened?" Sasuke's jaw tightened and he turned away, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He knew that Neji had in fact gone to school with his older brother before… before _it _happened.

"It doesn't matter," he growled, "I'm never going to see him again, and if I ever do, I'm going to kill him." The others were surprised and even a bit scared by the seriousness in Sasuke's voice. Lee hesitated a bit before asking.

"What happened?" Sasuke growled.

"My brother," he hissed quietly, his eyes glazed over with hate and remembrance, "Killed my entire family." A small gasp was heard, and Naruto turned to see the girls standing there, Ino with sad eyes and a hand over her mouth, Hinata staring at the ground, and Sasuke watching Sakura in awe.

"He's in the mental hospital now," he growled, ignoring the girls, "And if he ever gets out, I'm going to kill him. I don't care if I get life in prison or get executed. As long as he gets what he deserves." Naruto shook his head, his blue eyes sad.

"I know you're mad at him and sad because you lost your family," he told him softly, "But I don't think that's the best way to handle it." Sasuke turned to him angrily, his eyes burning.

"And what would you know?" he snapped, almost shouting, "What do you know anything about losing someone?" It was dead silent. Everyone held their breath, their eyes flitting between Sasuke and Naruto. Hinata felt her heart squeeze. Naruto's hands were balled into tight fists, to where his knuckles were white, and if anyone looked close enough, which most of them did, they could see a trail of blood on his palm from where his nails were digging into his skin. Finally he pivoted and walked away without another word. Hinata heard him go and felt tears building in her eyes. _Naruto._ Sasuke clenched his fists angrily, but this time it was at himself.

He _knew_ Naruto had some kind of past, they all did, even though they didn't know what it was, but he had had to just blurt that out. Sasuke cursed himself in his head as he turned and walked away from the others, out of the mall, trying to get away from his mistake.

The others were silent. Slowly they all started to realize what had happened; Sasuke had made a mistake. None of them blamed him, of course, but there was no denying it. Neji turned to look at Hinata. Her hands were clasped over her heart, and he could just see the trail of a tear down her cheek. Slowly they all left, one by one, tossing half- hearted good byes at each other as they went. Finally Neji and Hinata were alone, and together they started out of the mall.

"That Naruto has a past, doesn't he?" Neji asked. Hinata nodded silently.

"Do you know what it is?" Hinata sighed and shook her head.

"H-He hasn't told a-anyone, but w-we all know there's s-something he's hiding… H-He said he'd t-tell me if he ever w-wanted or needed to, b-but…" _You're starting to doubt if he really would, _Neji finished in his head. He was glad that Hinata had friends, and from what she had told him so far, he knew things would be a bit complicated, but he was starting to guess that things would be more complicated than either of them had expected.

"That Sasuke guy shouldn't have said that," Neji announced. Hinata shook her head.

"M-Maybe not, b-but you can't r-really blame him," she said quietly, "T-Think of what h-he's been through. B-Besides, he d-doesn't know about N-Naruto's past. N-None of us do. A-All of us make mistakes, brother. Mistakes are just a-apart of being human." Neji looked down at his cousin in amazement. _Perhaps,_ he thought, _some mistakes were good. Maybe more people should make mistakes, just to remind themselves that they're human._

_

* * *

_

**Soooooo? Didja like it? Hm? Hm? Didja? Didja? If you want me to add anything or anything, just let me know! Well... that's really all I have to say for now so... Update Queen/ Fanfiction Lady OUT!**


	11. Promises

**Back again :D Thanks once again to all of my fans, you make me feel special :"D Anyways, last time... something happened... oh yeah! They went to the mall and Sasuke made a little mistake by accusing Naruto of not knowing what it feels like to lose someone. Was he right or was he wrong? We're going to find out, maybe! Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Hinata lay in bed the next morning, her mind reeling. Was Naruto ok? Was Sasuke still mad? She knew even though Sasuke put up an act, he seemed to care about Naruto. So did he feel bad, or was he still blinded with anger for his brother? Every time Hinata tried to imagine what it would be like if Neji or someone she was related to kill the rest of her family, she just couldn't fathom it. Who would do such a thing? And how old was Sasuke when it happened?

At any age that would be horrible, and no one deserved it, but Hinata couldn't help but feel curious. Tears built in her eyes as she thought of Sasuke being all alone, knowing someone he was related to betray him. Who did Sasuke live with now? Hinata shook her head; it was none of her business. If he ever wanted to tell them, he would. This thought brought her mind back to Naruto, and her heart felt a familiar stab.

_Naruto._ She didn't know what had happened to him, but she knew it must have been horrible for someone as cheerful as him to act this way. Hinata had to admit she was surprised he was even able to act this cheerful when he seemed to be hoarding so many secrets around. _Naruto… what are you hiding?_ Hinata sighed and sat up, slipping out of bed. She felt for her walking stick, which was leaned against her bedside table, and tapped her way over to her dresser. She set her walking stick on top of it and opened the top drawer, her fingertips carefully scanning over pieces of clothing to determine pants from shirts and shirts from tank tops.

With only a small struggle she got dressed and closed the drawer, grabbing her walking stick before leaving the room. She made it down the stairs and followed the sound of glass clinking into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Hinata," Neji greeted.

"Morning, Hinata!" the voice of her younger sister, Hinabi, exclaimed loudly, reminding Hinata slightly of Naruto. Hinata smiled a little and found her seat, settling into it.

"G-Good morning…" she told them quietly, "W-Where is f-father?"

"Some business thing," Hinabi informed her, "He said Neji was in charge for today." Hinata simply nodded, and Neji frowned at her. Today she seemed more distant than usual, as if deep in thought about something.

"Are you alright, Hinata?" he asked, "You seem distracted." Hinata jumped a bit at the mention of her name and shook her head.

"O-Oh, no b-brother, I'm sorry. I-I was just t-thinking about how N-Naruto is doing…" Neji was silent while Hinabi grinned.

"Who's Naruto?" she asked interestedly, "Is he your boyfriend?" Hinata's face burned bright while Neji scolded Hinabi.

"N-No, he's j-just my friend…" Hinata answered quietly, "He's have a l-little trouble…" Hinata trailed off, deep in thought once again. Neji observed her.

"You want to check on him, don't you?" he guessed. Hinata blushed and pressed her finger tips together.

"I-I just want to know if h-he's alright…" Neji sighed.

"We can go check on him if you'd like," he said. Hinata jumped a bit.

"B-But I don't k-know where he lives," she told him, "A-And he might get m-mad if we j-just show up… H-He might still be upset from y-yesterday…" Neji wiped his mouth with a napkin and set it by his already empty plate.

"We are of the Hyuuga family," he announced, "There is nothing we can't find out. Besides, I don't know Naruto as well as you might, but I doubt he would get mad at anyone who worried about him, especially not you." Hinata frowned a bit at his words but before she could ask anything, Neji stood up and started to leave.

"Eat," he ordered, "By the time you are done, I shall have his address ready for you." Hinata smiled a bit. Though Neji acted cold sometimes, he really did have a big heart.

"T-Thank you, b-brother…" Hinata finished eating her breakfast in silence, politely listening to Hinabi talk on and on about school and other things. When she was done, Hinabi took her plate for her and Hinata stood just as she heard footsteps enter.

"Found him," Neji's voice announced. Hinata's heart jumped and she nodded. She just hoped Naruto wouldn't be mad when they got there.

* * *

Neji glanced at his sister. He was driving in his car towards the address he had found Naruto's name attached to with Hinata in the passenger seat. She seemed extremely nervous, more so than usual, and for a moment he wondered if this was a bad idea. Neji shook this out of his mind; they had to make sure Naruto was alright and didn't do anything… drastic. This also would be a good test for Neji to decide if Naruto was someone he wanted Hinata hanging out with.

The two rode in silence, both deep in their own thoughts. They had left Hinabi back at the house with the maids and butler, since they doubted, even if he was alright with them arriving, that Naruto would appreciate having a small, loud, obnoxious girl he'd never met come in and check to see if he was alright and try to figure out what his problem was. Hinata chewed on her thumb nervously. Were they doing the right thing? She really wanted to make sure Naruto was alright, but was it a good idea? What if he got angry and decided never to talk to her again? Naruto didn't seem like the kind of person that would do that, but Hinata still felt a little fear set in her heart at the thought of rejection, which was a feeling she was quite used to.

Neji glanced at Hinata again.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Hinata chewed her thumb a bit, her sightless eyes gazing into her lap.

"D-Do you think w-we should b-be going?" she asked quietly, "W-What if he gets m-mad at us?" Neji sighed.

"If you truly care, which you obviously do, Naruto will see that and won't get mad," he told her confidently, "He seems like the kind of guy that just needs someone to care, and he'd never push someone like that away. Besides, he seems to have a soft spot for you, anyways." Hinata's cheeks reddened and she pressed her finger tips together.

"A-Alright," she murmured, "You're right, b-brother…" They road in silence for a while longer until Hinata felt the car come to a stop.

"Well… here we are…" Neji said, somewhat uncertainly. Hinata frowned at her cousin's tone.

"W-What's wrong?" she asked. Neji glanced at his cousin, turning off the engine.

"Nothing, it's just… Not what I expected. Apparently he lives in a small apartment building…" Neji brushed it off and got out of the car, going around to the other side to help Hinata out. He led her to the front door of the apartment and hesitated. He glanced at Hinata.

"Do you want to knock?" he asked. Hinata shook her head, keeping her head down and pressing her finger tips so hard together they turned white. Neji swallowed a bit and, after only a moment's hesitation, knocked three times on the door. There was silence for a few minutes, and Neji knocked again. Hinata felt her nerves building. Was Naruto alright? Why wasn't he answering? Was he going to be really angry with her? Suddenly they heard his voice shout something from inside, and then the door flung open.

Naruto blinked in surprise to see both Neji and Hinata standing on his porch, Neji looking business- like and Hinata looking more nervous than usual.

"Er, hey, guys," he greeted, running a hand through his messy hair. Hinata jumped a bit at the sound of his voice and felt her heart do a back flip. Neji simply nodded.

"H-Hi, N-Naruto," Hinata whispered. Naruto smiled a little at the small teen before Neji spoke, drawing his attention.

"Good morning, Naruto," he greeted, "How are you?" Naruto shrugged and ran a hand through his hair again.

"Fine," he said, "Did… you need something?" Neji glanced at Hinata, but when she stayed silent he explained.

"Hinata was worried for your well being," Neji told him bluntly, "She wanted to make sure you were alright after… well, after yesterday." Naruto turned away, rubbing the back of his neck. Hinata heard silence and rustling and grew even more nervous.

"Y-Yeah," Naruto started, then cleared his throat and gave a smile before going on, "I'm fine, don't worry about it." Neji could tell Naruto's smile was fake, and both Hyuugas could tell by his voice that he was lying.

"N-Naruto…" Both boys turned to small Hinata in surprise. She felt their eyes on her and blushed.

"P-Please, N-Naruto… Don't l-lie to me…" It was silent. Neji looked over at Naruto for his reaction. He seemed to be in shock, staring at Hinata with his eyes wide. After a moment he recovered and looked down at the ground, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm sorry, Hinata," he murmured, "Don't worry about me… I'll be fine, really." Just then someone walking down the street, a woman in a long trench coat, spotted him and glared.

"Monster!" she shouted, pointing at him with a boney finger, "No one wants you here! Why don't you just leave, get out of here and never come back?" Hinata's eyes went wide behind her shades. How could someone way something like that? Neji sent the woman an ice cold glare that sent her scampering away in search of warmth. He then turned back to Naruto, who wouldn't meet either of their eyes.

"You guys should go before you're seen with me," Naruto advised quietly, "People around here… Don't like me a lot, and if they see you with me, they…"

"N-Naruto…" The boys once again turned to Hinata in amazement, this time spotting tear streaks down her cheeks.

"W-Why would s-she say that?" Hinata asked in a whispered sob, "H-How could anyone say that to y-you?" It was dead silent, and Hinata shook her head.

"You're one o-of the nicest p-people I've e-ever met," she told him, "Y-You of all people s-shouldn't deserve that…" Naruto's deep blue eyes softened and he looked away.

"I deserve more than you think, Hinata," he murmured back. Hinata shook her head.

"T-Tell me, N-Naruto," she whispered, "T-Tell me what h-happened. T-Trust me…" Neji suddenly felt that he shouldn't be there. He wanted to take care of Hinata, but at the same time he felt as if he was trespassing on a very private moment. Naruto wouldn't look at either of them, but Neji could clearly see pain in his eyes. Suddenly Hinata's body shuddered and started to fall. Naruto caught her, looking down at her in surprise.

"Hinata, are you alright?" She didn't answer, and Neji discovered that she was unconscious.

"She should lie down," he told Naruto, who nodded.

"I can lay her on the couch… if that's ok, I mean." Neji nodded and Naruto picked up Hinata bridal style, noticing with a small smile how light she was. He walked into his house and set her carefully on the small couch. Neji looked around as he followed Naruto inside the apartment, closing the door behind him. The place was extremely small but surprisingly clean. There was a small kitchen where a box of ramen sat on the counter, which he guessed Naruto was about to make before they showed up, and a small living room with one couch, a chair, and a small TV. There was a narrow hallway leading back to what Neji guessed were the bedrooms and bathroom.

"Nice place," Neji commented. Naruto finished getting Hinata settled before straightening and giving him a small smile.

"Thanks," he replied. Neji observed him for a moment.

"Kind of small though," he said, "How many bedrooms are there?" Naruto supplied a small, tight smile.

"Just one," he responded shortly, turning away. Neji paused a moment.

"Hinata's a good person, Naruto." Naruto looked at him in surprise before turning to Hinata. His eyes softened a bit and he looked away, as though not able to look at her any longer.

"I know," he murmured, "She's one of the nicest, most innocent people I've ever met. Even though she… can't see…." Neji nodded.

"She wasn't always like that, you know." To Neji's mild surprise, Naruto nodded.

"Yeah, she told me," he said, his blue eyes turning somber, "She told us. It must have been hard… must still be hard… To be able to see everything in life and then one day… Having it all gone…" The amount of sadness in Naruto's eyes surprised Neji. Sure, he got sad when he thought about it; it was very unfortunate. But Naruto seemed to actually _feel _the pain Hinata must have or may still be having. Neji sighed.

"Just… don't hurt her, alright?" he asked, "Just promise me. She obviously trusts you, and I'm going to trust her judgment. Hintata is one of the most understanding people I know, and she'd be the last person to ever judge you." Naruto looked away.

"I know…" Neji approached him.

"Can I trust you with my cousin?" he asked, looking Naruto straight in the eye. Naruto observed him before his eyes turned serious and he nodded. Neji held out his hand and Naruto shook it.

"You can," he told him, "Trust me."

* * *

Naruto sat in the only chair in his living room, holding his hands in his head. Neji had left a little while ago after getting a call from Hinata's dad. Apparently there was an emergency and he needed Neji at the meeting, so Neji had once again made Naruto promise to take care of his sister before leaving. Hinata was still passed out on the couch, and Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

What was he supposed to do? Hinata had been worried about him because of the stunt he pulled when he stomped off from the mall after what Sasuke had said. Naruto shook his head. How could he have been so stupid? Usually he was good at covering his emotions, but lately… Naruto looked over at Hinata, her face peaceful and her breathing steady. Hinata… maybe it was her. It seemed that ever since he had met her, it got harder and harder to keep his emotions hidden from others. What was happening? It was like every time he was around Hinata, he wanted to tell her all of his secrets, all of his troubles.

It was as if the one that couldn't see was the one that saw him the best. She saw right through his façade without once having to see his face. How did she know? How could she break through his years of practice in just a couple of days? Naruto sighed agitatedly and ran his hand through his hair again. What was he going to tell her? He knew she wanted to know his past, and he did trust her, but… What would she do once she found out? Hinata was nice, but after finding out about his past, she might be just like all the others; she would hate him. Naruto didn't think he could handle another person hating him, especially not Hinata.

Just then he heard a small noise and turned. Hinata had started to lift herself up on her elbows, and Naruto rushed to her side. He put a gentle hand on her arm.

"It's alright, Hinata, it's just me," he informed her, watching her automatically relax, "You should stay lying down. You passed out on the porch."

"W-Where is N-Neji?" she asked.

"Oh, uh, I hope you don't mind, but your dad called him into a meeting, so he left," he said, then hurried on, "But don't worry, he should be back soon. You're still at my apartment, but I brought you on my couch. You trust me, right, Hinata?" Hinata nodded immediately.

"Y-Yes, N-Naruto…" Naruto smiled a bit.

"Good." Hinata hesitated a moment.

"N-Naruto…" she started quietly, "Are you m-mad?" Naruto frowned.

"What do you mean? What would I be mad about?" he asked. Hinata pushed her finger tips together.

"Y-Yesterday… what Sasuke said… O-Or me and Neji c-coming over h-here… I-I'm sorry, I was just w-worried…"

"It's alright, Hinata," Naruto told her with a slight smile, "I'm not mad at Sasuke, or you or Neji. I'm glad you came. I'm glad…" Naruto trailed off, and Hinata reached out slightly towards him.

"N-Naruto?" Naruto caught her hand and she jumped.

"I'm just… glad that you care," he said quietly. Hinata relaxed a little.

"O-Of course, N-Naruto…" Naruto hesitated a moment.

"I don't want you to hate me, Hinata," he told her quietly. The statement was vague, but she knew what he was referring to. Hinata shook her head.

"I-I couldn't h-hate you, N-Naruto," she replied, "I know you. I-I don't think a-anything about y-your past could m-make me hate you…" Naruto looked away.

"Please… don't make promises you can't keep, Hinata," he whispered so quietly he almost didn't hear it. Hinata used her free hand (her other was still caught in Naruto's) and slipped off her sunglasses. She set them beside her on the couch and Naruto's breath caught a little at he once again saw those beautiful, snowy eyes.

"I never do, N-Naruto," she told him. Naruto smiled a bit and brushed a few strands of hair out of her face, making her face turn red. Then he took a deep breath.

* * *

**Ha! Cliff hanger much? CHECK! Well, that's to you that don't comment :) Maybe I should just hold off posting the next one until I have... Hmm, say 30+ comments? If not, oh well :) I guess none of you will find out what happens... Haha, just kidding... Or am I? Well, there's only one was to find out! Review and Shtufts, BYES!**

**Alright, I'm just kidding, of course I'll continue :) But you can review! BYES!**


	12. Discoveries

**DUN DUN DUN! The big moment! You may finally find out what Naruto's dark secret is! Thanks to all of the people that commented and put this on their favorites and EVEN added me as their favorite author :D I FEEL SO LOVED! :D Anyways, I hope you like it! I hope this shocks your pants off, and hopefully you won't cry like I... maybe... kinda did... :) Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"I used to have a family. You know, a mom and dad. I was an only child, but I didn't care. I loved my parents. We used to go to this little park downtown… Before I came here, of course. We used to live in an actual house with a guest bed room and living room and everything. We still weren't exactly rich, but my parents didn't care, so neither did I. One day, my dad came into my room panicking. He kept on saying to himself, "Gone, got to get her, gone…" There was a mob gang that always hung out around where we lived, and one of their hang outs was the park we went to. I didn't know it at the time, but one of the mob gangsters had taken my mom and sent my dad a ransom note.

"Apparently they thought we were rich or something. I guess by the way we held ourselves and by how happy we acted, no one would guess we were living on the fringes between being middle class and poor. Well, my dad told me to stay there, that he was going somewhere important to get mommy back, and left. Of course, I wanted to help get her back, too, so instead of following directions I followed after him. I followed him to the park. For some reason, he walked instead of taking the car. I didn't know it then, but now I guess it was something he was told to do. When we got there he walked into a back alleyway. I stood behind the corner and watched him. From the shadows came about four men dressed in all black, one of them holding my mother. They negotiated for a while, and my dad told them the truth; that he didn't have the money they wanted. Finally they got mad and the guy holding my mom put a gun to her head. My dad tried to negotiate more with them, but they didn't like the terms, so… he pulled the trigger. He dropped my mom on the ground like she was nothing.

"I freaked out then. I ran from my hiding spot and went to my mother, trying to shake her awake. My dad called me back, but I didn't listen. All I could think of was the fact that my mom was dead. My dad tried to tell them not to hurt me, to take him instead along with all that he had, but when he took a step forward… They shot him. I watched my dad fall in front of my eyes, blood coming from the wound in his chest. I was young, but I knew he was dead before he hit the ground. The people… those gang members… For some reason they decided not to kill me. I think they decided it would be better to send me home, alone, with a reminder, a message of what they did. So, they took a knife and carved three long scars into both of my cheeks, calling me a kyuubi, telling me I killed my parents, that I was a monster, a beast.

"Then they left, leaving the gun and knife with me. I went to trial for the murder of my parents, and spent a few months in jail before they proved me innocent. Some people…. Most people, actually, still believed I had done it, that I really was a monster. And at that age… Even, sometimes now… I believed them. I went through a couple foster homes before I met Iruka.

"The first foster home had a drunk dad that liked to beat things when he got angry. Most of them were like that, and after a while I thought I would never find anyone. Then, I met Iruka. He was the nicest person I'd ever met. He actually... cared."

_*flashback*_

_Young Naruto eyed the tall, tan man suspiciously._

"_Naruto, this is your new father, Iruka." Iruka smiled down at him kindly, warmth in his eyes Naruto hadn't seen in a long time._

"_Good to meet you, Naruto," Iruka said with true kindness in his voice, "I hope we can be good friends." Naruto shifted his bag of minimal items on his shoulders, taking a deep breath, and making sure to smother any kind of hope that reached his heart._

"_This is your room, Naruto," Iruka told him when they arrive at the house, "It might be kind of small, but do you think it will do?" Naruto glanced around and nodded silently. Iruka smiled down at the boy and Naruto felt just the slight tug at the edge of his lips._

"It was him who taught me how to smile," Naruto continued, feeling his lips turn up again, fondness shining in his eyes. Hinata sniffled a bit and wiped the tears from her eyes. She smiled a bit at Naruto.

"W-Where is he n-now?" she asked, "W-Why aren't y-you living with h-him?" Naruto's smile faded and he ducked his head.

"He's… in the hospital… He got jumped one day when coming home from picking something up at the store, and he's been in a coma ever since… People won't say it, but a lot of them blame me for it, so they took me out of his care.

" I didn't want to go back into the foster system, though, so I finally got a break from the headmaster of our school, Tsunade. She provides me with this apartment as long as I attend her school. Once I'm old enough, she says I have to start paying to live here for myself." It was dead silent, and Naruto felt sadness and worry eating away at his heart.

"I understand if you don't want to hang around with me any more," he said quietly. Just then he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned as Hinata blindly wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. His body froze. What was happening?

Hinata sobbed into his shoulder, fresh tears pouring down her cheeks, her heart aching. How bad had the world become? Naruto had started out with basically nothing; all he had had was a loving family, and then he was forced to watch as they were taken from him. Then he was forced to bear the markings his family's killers had put on him to remind him every day of what had happened. And then the one person who had cared for him… How could people be so cruel? Naruto, a boy who had nothing, was treated horribly just because of something he didn't do.

"I-It wasn't your fault, N-Naruto," she whispered confidently, "Y-You deserve a l-lot better than t-that." Naruto's eyes widened.

"H-Hinata…" Hinata's arms tightened around his neck instead of letting go like she usually would have.

"Y-You're an a-amazing person, N-Naruto," she told him, "I-I would n-never blame you for a-any of that." Naruto's eyes softened and he finally wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck.

"Are you sure, Hinata?" he whispered, "I followed my dad… if I hadn't been there, maybe…" Hinata shook her head.

"N-Nothing you could h-have done would have change those p-people's minds, N-Naruto," she told him, "Y-You were young, you didn't k-know what was h-happening. N-None of that was your fault, N-Naruto. I promise." Hinata's hand brushed against the side of his face and her fingers met with something wet. Her eyes widened as her fingers traced a tear track down his cheek.

"D-Don't cry, N-Naruto…" she whispered, "You deserve to be h-happy…" Naruto pulled back to look at her face. He was met by those snowy eyes, which had red rims and tear tracks running from them. Naruto placed a thumb on one of the lines and traced it down until he dipped a finger under her chin and tilted her head up towards his. He leaned in and paused just an inch away.

Hinata's breath hitched when she felt his warm breath fan her face from so close. She swallowed before speaking.

"A-Are you going to k-kiss me?" she asked. Naruto paused.

"Not if you don't want me to." Hinata hesitated only a second before nodding. Naruto steeled his nerves and leaned in to close the gap—_Knock, knock, knock._ Naruto halted and waited a moment before the person knocked again. Then he sighed and pulled away.

"I'm going to get the door, ok?" he told Hinata softly, who nodded, her eyes cast to the side. He reluctantly stood and walked over to the door, glancing back at Hinata once before pulling it open. Standing there was none other than Neji.

"Hello, Naruto," he greeted calmly, "Is my sister awake yet?" Naruto threw him a smile.

"Yeah, she woke up a few minutes ago. Come on in…" Neji entered the apartment, Naruto closing the door behind him.

"I'm back, Hinata," Neji greeted, setting a hand on his cousin's shoulder. Hinata gave him a small smile.

"H-Hello, brother…" Neji noticed her red eyes and glanced over at Naruto, who was avoiding looking at him. Automatically he knew what had happened; he told her. Neji coughed a bit.

"Well, we should go," he said, "Your father should be home soon, and Hanabi might be worried by now." Hinata nodded and stood. Naruto grabbed her walking stick and guided her hand to it.

"T-Thank you, N-Naruto," she whispered. Naruto's eyes softened.

"Don't mention it, Hinata." He walked both Hyuugas to the door and stood in the doorway as they both turned to him.

"Thank you for watching after Hinata, Naruto," Neji told him. Naruto smiled at him.

"No problem." Neji nodded and glanced at Hinata before turned and walking away. Hinata heard him go and felt her cheeks heat up.

"T-Thank you for helping me, N-Naruto," she told him, "A-And thank you for telling m-me." Naruto smiled a genuine smile at her.

"You're amazing, Hinata." Hinata felt her cheeks burn and a small smile appeared on her lips. Naruo slipped a finger under her chin and placed a small, chastise kiss on her forehead.

"Thanks, Hinata," he muttered. Hinata's face was burning now, but her smile widened.

"Y-Your welcome, N-Naruto," she murmured, "I-I'll see you t-tomorrow…" Naruto grinned.

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow, Hinata." Neji saw the small exchanged between Naruto and his cousin from the car, but felt a tug at his lips instead of getting mad. He could tell Naruto was a good guy, whether he thought it of himself or not. Hinata soon joined her and they pulled away, driving towards their house.

"He told you, didn't he?" he asked. Hinata nodded, fiddling with her fingers.

"Y-Yes…"

"And? Is he as horrible as he seems to think he is?" Hinata shook her head.

"N-No… He's n-not horrible at all…" Neji knew Hinata wouldn't tell him what Naruto's past was unless Naruto himself said she could, so he didn't bother trying to push the subject further. After a while they reached the house and Hinata went straight up to her room to contemplate her newest discovery about Naruto Uzamaki.

* * *

Sakura and Sasuke walked down the street slowly. They had talked a while, but now resided in sweet silence. It wasn't a date; well, that's what Sakura kept telling herself. She had simply run into Sasuke on her way from visiting Ino and he had invited her on his walk. Sakura glanced at Sasuke.

"Are you going to try saying sorry to Naruto?" she asked. Sasuke sighed. He knew she was going to ask him this eventually.

"I guess," he answered with a shrug, "I mean, I don't know what his deal is, but he obviously lost something or someone in the past, so it'd be stupid not to apologize." Sakura raised an eyebrow at him.

"Does vengeful, angry Sasuke actually care about someone?" she mocked, and laughed when he rolled his eyes, "I guess I'm making more discoveries about you every day." Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh yeah? And what about you?" he asked, "What's your secret?" Sakura sighed.

"Well, the only real secret I have isn't really mine to tell," she said, shrugging. Sasuke observed her.

"It has something to do with Ino," he guessed.

Sakura looked away. Sasuke dug his hands into his pockets and it was silent again. He knew she wouldn't tell him what the deal was with Ino unless Ino herself said it was ok, so he decided to let the subject rest. Just then they both heard a bark and looked up to see two guys around their age walking towards them, a dog leading them.

"Hey!" one of them greeted loudly, one with light brown hair and matching eyes. The other hard dark black hair, black shades, and wore the collar of his jacket over the bottom half of his face.

"Uh, hi," Sakura greeted back while Sasuke stayed silent.

"Do you guys go to the leaf?" he asked. Sakura glanced at Sasuke before nodded.

"Yeah, why?" The guy grinned.

"We're starting there tomorrow!" he exclaimed, and then held out a hand, "I'm Kiba! My dog here is Akamaru! The creepy quiet dude is Shino." They all shook hands, Shino slightly glaring at Kiba from behind his shades at his comment.

"So, are you two together or something?" Kiba asked, "We're not interrupting some kind of date, are we?" He almost laughed out loud when Sakura and Sasuke both blushed slightly and glared at him.

"No," Sakura snapped, "We're just friends." Kiba raised an eyebrow and then grinned.

"Well, alright then, whatever you say!" he said, "We should go. Bye!" Kiba, Shino, and Akamaru walked off, and Sakura shook her head after they were gone.

"What weirdos," she stated, "But it looks like we have more people sitting with us tomorrow." Sasuke nodded, and they walked on in silence.

* * *

**There we go :) Well, we finally know Naruto's secret! :O What do you think? Is Naruto a monster? Do you think it was his fault? We also know where he got the scars from... And we added new people, Kiba (one of my favorites :D) and Shino! Oh, and Akamaru, of course! What will this mean? Find out next time! Review and shtuffs! BYE!**


	13. Patience

**Hey there... hehe ^^" It's been a while, huh? ... Yeah, sorry about that! I kinda had writer's block, and I was busy with school, and now I'm basically just making excuses for my laziness ^^" Heh, sorry! Well, I'll try to update sooner, I promise! Now, this one is super short, but I promise the next one will be longer. I already kind of know what I'm going to write, soooo, Kick Back, Relax, and**

**Enjoy!**

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The next day Kiba and Shino were introduced to everyone and sat with them at lunch. Neither of them seemed bothered at all by Hinata's shy blindness or Naruto's scars. Ino noticed that Naruto sat a little closer to Hinata than usual and smiled. It was louder than usual, since Kiba seemed to have a lot to say. He babbled on and on about random things, while the others either listened contently or rolled their eyes (this usually consisted of only Sasuke). After a while it finally went silent and they sat contentedly. Ino shivered a bit and glanced up at the sky.

"It's starting to get cold," she announced, "I wouldn't be surprised if it started snowing soon." Everyone else nodded, and Hinata ducked her head. Naruto noticed this and frowned, tugging on her shirt sleeve.

"What's wrong, Hinata?" he asked. Hinata twiddled her fingers.

"W-Well, I-I just… haven't seen s-snow in a w-while, and I-I… miss it," she admitted quietly. Everyone turned silent and Naruto lightly clasped her hand. She jumped a bit, but then smiled and held his hand. Ino smiled.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy the snow when it comes here, Hinata," she told her kindly. Hinata gave her a shy, thankful smile, and Naruto's thumb brushed against her soft hand thoughtfully.

"Yeah… And we could all go snowboarding and sledding and have a snow ball fight!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"I agree, my friend!" Lee exclaimed.

"Yeah, I'm in!" Kiba shouted. So the three loudest people in the groups gave each other high- fives. Hinata and Ino giggled as Sakura and Sasuke rolled their eyes and Shino remained silent. The three settled down again and again it was quiet. Each person seemed deep in their own thoughts. Eventually, it was Kiba who spoke.

"So um… Shino, told me not to mention it, but I can't help it," he said, and turned to Naruto, "What's with those markings on your face?" It was dead silent. This silence was different from the one before; it was tense, heavier. Hinata felt Naruto stiffen beside her and tugged his hand for encouragement. Naruto looked over at Hinata and saw what she meant to say; the timing was up to him. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"They're, uh… Been there since I was born. They don't mean anything." The others in the group, beside Kiba and Shino, sighed a bit in disappointment. Kiba glanced back around at them before looking at Naruto, who was staring at the ground while Hinata whispered something in his ear. He then smiled up at her, though she couldn't see it, and Kiba saw something strange in his eyes. After a second Sasuke spoke.

"Hey, Naruto." Naruto himself looked up at him in surprise. They met each other's eyes for a moment, and a silent understanding past between them. Naruto smiled a bit.

"It's alright." Sakura smiled at the small exchange, and this wasn't missed by Ino. She smiled. _Look whose going soft? Looks like it just took a little patience... And time. _She held in a sigh at remembering how precious time really was.

* * *

After lunch Kiba and Shino split from the group and started walking down the hallways. Surprisingly, it was Shino who spoke up first.

"I told you not to bring it up," he told him in a low voice. Kiba sighed and dug his hands into his pockets.

"I know, but I couldn't help it. I mean, you can't admit that you aren't the least bit curious?" Shino shook his head.

"Patience is a virtue," he answered simply.

* * *

Naruto walked with Hinata out of the school. He didn't need to walk her home this time, but he still wanted to spend as much time with her as he could before he had to go back to his apartment, alone. Hinata walked beside Naruto in silence, her walking stick _tap tap tapp_ing on the ground, her mind deep in thought. She hadn't been expecting Naruto to be so open to the others about what had happened to him in the past; she had been surprised that he had even told her. But she couldn't help but feel disappointed that he hadn't opened up to him.

His past was something no one person could bear, and even for two people it was too much. But perhaps, if everyone reacted about the same way she had, just maybe they could help carry that burden together. Hinata realized he would't open up so early, especially with Kiba and Shino being so new to the group. It would take Naruto time, and it would take all of them patience.

Naruto and Hinata stopped walking near the street curb and he turned to her.

"Look Hinata, I—" Hinata shook her head.

"D-Don't worry, N-Naruto," she told him, giving him a small smile, "T-This is your s-story to tell. Y-You need time, N-Naruto, but just… Don't t-think you e-ever have to carry this b-burden alone." Naruto smiled, feeling a few tears prick his eyes.

"Thanks Hinata," he whispered, and pulled her into a hug. Hinata surprisingly didn't jump this time, instead, just smiling and wrapping her arms around him also. They stood like that, lost in their own little world, until finally Naruto pulled back. He hesitated.

"Hey, Hinata? Are you busy tomorrow after school?" Hinata frowned a little.

"I-I don't think so, N-Naruto. W-Why?" Naruto ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you think you could come somewhere with me? I want to go, but I…" Hinata was surprised that he asked her, but smiled and nodded.

"Y-Yes, N-Naruto, I w-will." Naruto looked up at her in surprise before grinning.

"Thanks Hinata! Could you just meet me out here tomorrow?" Hinata smiled at his enthusiasm.

"S-Sure, N-Naruto…" Naruto grinned.

"Thanks, Hinata." He wrapped her in one more hug before tossing a good- bye and walking away. Neji, seeing that Naruto had left, approached Hinata and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It is me, Hinata," he said when she jumped. Hinata smiled as he began to lead her away from the school.

"Hello, brother…" Neji observed the pure, slightly dazed smile on his cousin's face, and briefly wondered what it was about the boy Naruto that made her like this. He wanted to ask, but decided against it; it was good to see his cousin happy again, as she had been trying to cover up how truly sad she was ever since she had gone blind. Neji smiled at Hinata's practically glowing face. Maybe someday she would tell him, and maybe someday he might find out Naruto's real past. But he, and surely the others of the group, would have to wait. All they needed was a little patience.

* * *

**So, Neji has softened up quite a bit, hasn't he? On the other hand, Naruto is still scared to tell the others. Unlike Sasuke, who blurted out his past from anger, Naruto is keeping his hidden because of sadness, regret, and being scared that his new friends won't want to be his friends anymore. But he told Hinata, right? So will he ever tell the others? We'll have to see! Forgive this for being late, por favor! Review and Stuff, see you later!**


	14. Deserving

**Back again! :) I finished cuz I'm just THAT awesome :) I have to go soon, so I'm gonna hurry this up.**

**Enjoy!**

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After school the next day Naruto met Hinata outside. She was waiting patiently by the curb, holding her walking stick and wearing her sunglasses. Naruto grinned and sneaked up on her. When he got close enough he pulled her sunglasses off. Hinata gasped and jumped, and Naruto laughed before she got too scared.

"It's me, Hinata," he told her, still laughing. Hinata touched her face.

"N-Naruto… my g-glasses…" Naruto tucked said glasses in his back pocket.

"You don't mind if you keep them off for a while, right? I'll keep them safe, I promise." Hinata was silent a moment.

"S-Sure, N-Naruto, but why?" Naruto smiled and took her hand.

"So I can see your beautiful eyes, of course! Now come on, Hinata!" He started to charge down the street, a stunned Hinata in tow. _H-He… called my eyes b-beautiful… _Naruto lead her down a few twists and turns, and she had no idea where they were or where they were going, but Hinata chose to trust him. Naruto pulled Hinata along, making her walking stick practically useless, and followed the way he knew by heart. He hadn't been there in a while, and he hoped no one else would be there just in case he couldn't control himself.

After a while Hinata felt the hard concrete sidewalk disappear, and instead started walking on what felt and sounded like grass. Naruto helped her climb up a hill and pulled her along. He had finally reached his destination. Hinata could practically touch the change in Naruto, and she knew to keep quiet. Naruto walked along the section, his eyes trained on something near the end. Finally he stopped and stared down at the two large stones sticking out of the ground.

"Here, Hinata," he spoke softly, taking her hand. He led it to the stone and Hinata's fingers traced over the imprinted words in the stone.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki

Father, Husband, Mother, Wife

Brother

Hinata gasped.

"N-Naruto…" Naruto stared down at the tombstones. Thankfully the graveyard was empty, so he didn't have to deal with anyone trying to tell him to get out.

"I wanted to visit Iruka today, too," he said quietly, "But the hospital kicks me out every time I try to go to see him. Seems even the new people that work there hates me… But it doesn't matter." Naruto continued to stare down at the grave before him.

"They're gone," he whispered, tears pricking his deep blue eyes, "And they're never coming back." Hinata felt tears build in her eyes and reached out a hand blindly towards Naruto's voice. He caught it and held it, stroking her soft skin with his thumb.

"N-Naruto…" She didn't know what to do. Here he was, probably crying, and she had no idea what to say to make him feel better.

"I don't even deserve to be here," Naruto whispered suddenly, "I should have died instead of them. I should be the one under this grave." Hinata's eyes widened, and the tears she had trying to hold back now ran down her cheeks. She reached out to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, tight.

"No, N-Naruto," she murmured, "N-No you don't… You deserve to l-live, N-Naruto." Naruto didn't answer, and he didn't attempt to hug her back. Hinata hugged him tighter, shaking her head.

"D-Don't ever say that again, N-Naruto," she whispered, pleaded, "I'm s-so glad you're a-alive… I n-never want you to d-die…" Just the thought brought on new tears, and she could feel small, wet drips on her shoulder.

"N-Naruto… Y-You deserve s-so much better t-than what you've b-been given…" It was silent for a moment, and he didn't answer. She opened her mouth to say more when she felt something around her waist. Naruto wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. He held her tight, as if he never wanted to let go. Hinata's eyes widened.

"I l… You're amazing, Hinata…" Hinata smiled a little, tears gathering in her eyes, though this time not because she was depressed. She shook ahead.

"Y-You're the amazing one, N-Naruto… You're such a g-good person despite w-what happened to y-you…" Naruto pulled away from the hug so that he could look at her. He wiped away her remaining tears with his thumb and stared into those snowy, unseeing white eyes.

"Thank you, Hinata." He then leaned in and placed a small, soft kiss on her cheek. Hinata's face heated up, and Naruto smiled, deciding that he liked when she blushed. He stood, pulling Hinata up with him, and handed her walking stick back to her.

"Let's go, Hinata," he said, and took her hand once again.

* * *

Sakura glanced at Ino nervously.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Ino gave her a small, forced smile.

"Yes, Sakura. I don't really have any other choice, do I?" Sakura sighed.

"I guess not…" Ino smiled and took her friend's hand. Sakura looked at her and took a breath before opening the door.

* * *

Sasuke sat with Shikamaru, Kiba (with Akamaru, of course), and Shino in the park. None of them had had anything to do, so they decided to hang out together.

"So…" Kiba started, "Do any of you know what really happened to Naruto?" Shino sighed and shook his head. Kiba never was the one to be patient when it came to anything. Sasuke and Shikamaru shook their heads.

"Nope," Sasuke answered, and then sent him a glare, "But if I were you, I wouldn't bring it up in front of him again." Kiba's eyebrows rose, and even Shino was a little surprised. Who knew the tough Sasuke Uchiha could be protective of his friends? Shikamaru sighed and intertwined his fingers behind his head, not seeming fazed.

"No, but I have a feeling he's told Hinata." Kiba frowned.

"You mean the blind girl he was sitting by?" This earned him another glare from Sasuke, and Shino shook his head at Kiba's stupidity. Shikamaru nodded, seeming to miss all of this.

"Yeah, she seems to affect him in some way. If he had to pick, I'd say she was the one he trusts most out of our little group. Kiba was thoughtful for a moment.

"So, is he the only one with secrets, or what?" Shikamaru glanced at Sasuke, who had looked away.

"_That_," he started, closing his eyes and leaning back, "is for the others to tell you." Kiba glanced at Sasuke, not missing how tense he had gotten or the glance Shikamaru had given him when he mentioned secrets. For once, though, he decided to be silent; Sasuke didn't seem like the kind to reveal secrets when pressured; most likely he would clamp up any more. For now, it was just a waiting game until he and the others trusted him and Shino enough to reveal their secrets.

* * *

The next day at lunch, everyone was shocked to see Ino appear with her hair cut short, just below her ears. When they asked what happened, she simply said that she wanted to change her look. Sasuke looked at Sakura and caught her eye. He didn't miss the sad look in her eyes before she turned away. They all settled down and it was silent, the air tense. Everyone glanced around each other, waiting. Naruto took a deep breath and squeezed Hinata's hand. She immediately caught on, and smiled, nodding encouragingly. Naruto took another deep breath.

"If you guys really want to know," he said quietly to the entire group, "I'll tell you where I really got these scars."

Everyone glanced at each other and nodded, practically holding their breaths, not daring to speak.

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**Hope you liked it! Review and stuff, gotta go, BYE!**


	15. Judging

**Back again! I figured out what I was going to do for this chapter, and just had to finish and upload it! WARNING! THERE IS SOME CUSSING IN THIS ONE! I don't remember if anyone cussed in the other ones, but I don't think so, so I just wanted to warn you. I mean, that's part of why people put their stories under 'Rated T', but I just wanted to warn you guys before any of my readers read it and flipped out :p Soooo, Beware! and,**

**Enjoy!**

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It was dead silent other than the occasional sniffle. Naruto had just finished his story and was now staring at the ground, and the others could see tears falling into the grass in front of him. Hinata was leaning on his side, stroking his back comfortingly while her own tears fell.

"So…" Everyone looked at Naruto, who cleared his throat before going on, "So… if you don't want to be my friends, or… you know, hang out with me anymore, I… I understand…" It was dead silent for a moment, and then Sakura growled.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Everyone, including Naruto, looked up at her in surprise. Naruto met her red- rimmed eyes, which were glaring at him. Naruto opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off when suddenly Sakura jumped forward and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Naruto's eyes widened like saucers. Hinata felt Sakura's arm cross over hers as she hugged Naruto and smiled.

"You're an idiot, Naruto," Sakura murmured, holding Naruto tighter, "Of course we're still going to be your friends." Sakura pulled back and smiled at him. Naruto looked at all of them in absolute shock as they nodded and smiled at him. One by one, to Naruto's astonishment, all of the girls hugged him and the guys gave him pats on the back or nods. Except for Lee, of course, who hugged him while tears poured from his eyes and he exclaimed loudly how what a great friend Naruto was.

Everyone else watched in surprise as tears started slipping down Naruto's cheeks. He couldn't explain what he was feeling; his heart could hardly control the joy and relief he felt. To the other's surprise, he laughed, tears still pouring from his eyes.

"T-Thank you…" he told them, meeting each other their eyes individually, true gratitude shining in his eyes, "Thank you… All of you…" From beside him, Hinata smiled, her eyes filling with more tears, happy ones this time. Naruto had finally gotten the friends he deserved. Suddenly Sakura spoke, talking to Sasuke.

"Seems like his is way worse than yours." It was dead silent and Sasuke gave her a glare that made the others think a hole would open up beneath her and send her into hell.

"Oh yeah?" he challenged, his eyes burning with rage, "What the fuck has happened to you, Miss Princess? You don't know shit out losing anyone, do you? So why don't you just shut the fuck up?" The air was tense, and everyone's eyes flickered from Sakura to Sasuke and back again. Finally Sasuke stood up and left without a word. The others watched him leave, and it was silent.

Sakura glared at the ground before standing and walking away, heading in the opposite direction Sasuke had went. Ino glanced at the others, giving them an apologetic look before standing and running after her. The others were left in silence to wonder what would happen next.

* * *

Sakura was growling under her breath and still storming away when Ino caught up with her. She took a moment to catch her breath.

"You shouldn't have said that to him," Ino told her quietly. Sakura gave a sharp, agitated sigh.

"Why?" she snapped, "I was only being honest!" Ino shook her head and placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, forcing her to stop.

"Who's to judge how bad a person's life is, especially compared to others?" Ino asked her, "What if we told a girl who'd been raped, "Oh, it wasn't that bad!" because we compared it to someone who had their mom die in a car accident? We don't know what either of those is like. But what we do know is, both things are horrible, and we should provide help and comfort to them no matter how bad their lives seem or don't seem." Sakura sighed and rubbed her eyes.

"I know, I know," she mumbled, "I just… That's what bugs me the most! All of you have these secrets, these bad things that have happened to you that make you more understanding of stuff, and I have no idea about any of it! Nothing bad has happened to me! I'm just some 'princess' that can't understand anything!" Ino shook her head and pulled her friend into a hug as Sakura let frustrated tears onto her shoulder.

"Oh, Sakura," she said softly, stroking her hair, "Be thankful that nothing's happened to you. Being blessed or even just lucky is never a thing to be ashamed of. You can still try to be understanding, though you might not be as understanding as someone who has been through things. But you'd be the solid rock, the belief to give a person that not all the world is bad. Now if they judge you because of that… Well, that is them." Sakura pulled away from the hug and gave her friend a small smile.

"Thanks, Ino…" she said before trailing off, her smile disappearing, "I just wish…" Ino shook her head with a smile.

"No point is wishing for something other than what is already determined," she said, "You can only make the best of it." Sakura shook her head, her eyes hardening.

"How can I make the best of this situation?" she demanded, just below shouting. Ino shushed her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You have friends," she reminded her, smiling, "Naruto, Hinata, Lee, even Sasuke, and the others. Keep them close while you can, Sakura. They'll help both of us. Can you trust them, and me?" Sakura sighed, wiping her face with the back of her hand. Finally she nodded. Ino smiled.

"Good. But you still need to apologize to Sasuke, soon, before you lose him."

* * *

Sasuke sat brooding on a bench near the front of the school. Naruto's past was terrible, he admitted that. But how could some girl like Sakura, who probably never had anything bad happen to her in her life, tell him his past wasn't that bad? What did she know about any of it? He heard footsteps to his left, but ignored them. The footsteps stopped at the end of the bench, and it was silent. A moment past before Sasuke raised his head and met the sight of Sakura, standing uncertainly by the bench. Sasuke's eyes immediately narrowed and he turned away.

"What do you want?" he growled. Sakura breathed, determined not to get rude. She reminded herself of what she said and was met with guilt deep in her gut. Sakura licked her lips and took a deep breath, trying to think of something to say. Finally she sighed.

"Can I sit?" It was silent a moment before Sasuke finally sighed and shrugged. She took that as a yes and sat on the other side of the bench, putting a lot of space in between them. Sakura took a deep breath; apologizing wasn't what she was best at.

"I'm… sorry… About what I said before…" If Sasuke was surprised at her apology, he hid it well. Sasuke glared at the ground and dug his shoe into the dirt.

"Whatever." Sakura glared at him.

"Hey, I'm giving you a sincere apology here, so you could at least look at me!" Sasuke lifted his head and glared at her. She felt her breath momentarily gone when his dark, broody eyes met hers, such compassion burning in them.

"And why are you apologizing, exactly?" he snapped, bringing her out of her trance, "Because you think you were wrong? Or because Ino told you?"

Instead of getting mad, Sakura turned to stare at the ground and sighed.

"Who's to judge how bad a person's past is?" she asked, turning his eyes to his again, which seemed a bit surprised, "I don't know much about having a bad past, but I'm trying to understand. And… I know that I might have a bad future, so I'm trying to make the best of it while I can." This last part was whispered, but Sasuke caught it. He observed her.

"What's going to happen?" he asked carefully, "Is it the same thing that Ino is hiding?" Sakura sighed again and glanced at him.

"I…" Tears gathered in her eyes, and her breath came in short gasps. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder and glanced up in surprise to see Sasuke right there, staring at her with concerned and intense eyes. Sakura couldn't help it; she turned and wrapped her arms tight around Sasuke's neck.

Sasuke's body stiffened when she hugged him, and Sakura partly expected him to push her off, but after a second he wrapped his arms around her waist. After a few moments she let go, feeling her cheeks heat up. She wiped her eyes and sniffled. It was silent, and Sasuke didn't go back to the other end of the bench; he watched from her side with calculating eyes. Sakura sighed.

"I wasn't always like this, you know," she told him, "I used to be happier, giggly… People actually wanted to be around me. But then, Ino… And I just changed. I guess… things like that change people…" It was silent for a moment. Sasuke knew if he pressured her, he could get Sakura to tell him what was wrong with Ino. But with her this fragile, he didn't want to make her tell him and then regret it later. Besides, it was more Ino's story to tell, when she was ready.

Sakura sighed and looked over at Sasuke, who looked deep in thought. She elbowed him in the ribs and he turned to glare at her. Sakyra simply smiled and stood.

"C'mon, we should probably get back to the others before they start worrying," she said. Sasuke nodded and stood. Sakura turned to start walking, then hesitated and turned back. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her in question, and she took a deep breath before grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him in, pressing her lips to his. It was quick but sweet, and Sakura pulled away with her cheeks burning.

"Thanks," she muttered, and turned away. Suddenly he grabbed her hand and spun her around, wrapping an arm around her waist as he pressed his lips on hers. This one was longer, and Sakura's lips moved with his. After a minute they pulled away and Sakura could tell her face was bright red, much darker than the pink shade of her hair.

"You're welcome," Sasuke told her with a slight smirk, which she found attractive yet annoying at the same time. Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled as Sasuke took her hand and pulled her back towards the others.

* * *

Ino practically squealed with delight when the two appeared back holding hands, and Sakura rolled her eyes, the biggest blush on her face. Naruto explained to Hinata what they were all freaking out about and she smiled. This made Sakura glare at Naruto, her blush growing. The guys teased Sasuke about it, but he simply rolled his eyes, only a faint pink hue coloring his cheeks. Still, it was the first time any of them had seen Sasuke Uchiha blush.

Ino smiled as she looked around the happy, laughing group. All of them were having fun, all of them supported each other, and most importantly, no one judged. Her eyes turned a little sad. If only the rest of the world could follow their example.

"Hey Ino, you alright?" she turned to see Kiba frowning at her. She gave him a smile.

"Of course! Just spaced out a bit. So Sakura, when are you guys goin' on a first date?"

* * *

**Aww :) Well, I told you there was cussing! Sasuke got ticked o.o Of course, anyone would expect him to... So, tell me what you think, and if you have any suggestions, let me know! Review and stuff, See Ya!**


	16. Metaphor

**Hey there, back again! I hope you liked the last one :) This one is a bit shorter, and told more in Shikamaru's percpective, so I hope you like it! There is minor cussing in this, and I apologize, but it just seemed to fit :) Well, tell me what you think, and**

**Enjoy!**

**

* * *

**

Shikamaru didn't bother to cover his mouth as he let out a loud yawn. He sat on a bench in front of the school, waiting for it to start. Usually Shikamaru would still be asleep then, but his mom had gotten tired of him being late, and it wasn't wise to protest when Mrs. Nara was angry. Shikamaru let out a small sigh. Someone sitting in the grass had their music blaring so that he could hear every word, leaving him to wonder how they weren't completely deaf. From what he heard, it was the song "Girl All the Bad Boys Want" by Bowling for Soup, or something like that. Shikamaru didn't pay attention to bands, or let alone music, that much. He leaned back his head to stare up at the sky and let out another sigh.

"Enjoying the clouds?" Shikamaru turned to see Ino standing at the other end of the bench, smiling at him. She sat next to him and looked up at the sky, a small smile on her face.

"I love the clouds," she said lightly, a dreamy look in her face. Shikamaru observed her for a second before turning his face up to look at the sky again.

"They're so quiet and peaceful," she went on, "They simply flow wherever the wind takes them, with no complications." Shikamaru was quiet a moment.

"Storms are complicated," he reminded her. Ino smiled at him sadly before looking back at the clouds and shrugging.

"The bad things in live are rendered into storms," she told him, "Even clouds get angry, sad. Never complicated, though. Clouds show their emotions, straightforward, without lies, or getting lost in translation." Shikamaru raised his eyebrow slightly at her.

"What is that?" She dragged her eyes away from the clouds and smiled at him.

"Just another metaphor of life," she said simply, and gathered her things and stood. Ino waved and tossed him a good bye before walking away. Shikamaru watched her go before turning back to look at the sky again. Clouds… He wished he was a cloud…

"Hey, are you high or something?" Shikamaru was dragged out of his thoughts and turned to see the girl who had spoken to him. She had sandy blond hair tied it four strange ponytails, deep blue eyes, and had an eyebrow raised at him.

_Cuz she's the girl all the bad guys want!_

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow back at the girl.

"No," he answered shortly. The girl observed him and huffed before walking away. Shikamaru watched her go before rubbing the back of his head. _Women…_

_

* * *

_

He sat with the others at lunch again, and for some reason everyone seemed more chatty than usual. Naruto and Lee were talking about where Lee got his spandex (Shikamaru was really hoping Naruto wasn't planning on getting a pair), Sakura was talking to Ino and Sasuke, and Kiba was asking Shino about bugs for some odd reason. Hinata simply sat close at Naruto's side like always, smiling and answering every time Naruto asked or said something to her.

Shikamaru gazed at the sky, watching the clouds lazily slug their way across the sky, and started to doze off. Suddenly a ringing sound erupted in the air and everyone jumped in surprise, their eyes drawing to Ino. She looked down in surprise at her watch.

"Oh, sorry guys," she giggled, turning her timer off, "I have to go home early today." She and Sakura gathered their things and stood.

"Where are you going?" Kiba asked curiously. Ino and Sakura shared a glance before Ino gave them a reassuring smile.

"Oh, I just have a check up at the doctor, that's all. Well, gotta go!" Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance, which didn't go unnoticed by Shikamaru's watching eyes, before both of the girls left. It was silent for a moment before the talking resumed. Shikamaru sighed and laced his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. He let the sun warm his face and the breeze ruffle his hair as he thought. Sakura obviously knew what Ino's deal was, and Shikamaru could guess, and he couldn't be sure that Sasuke knew or not. Sakura may have told him, but his bet was that Sasuke knew something was wrong, but didn't know specifically.

Shikamaru let out another yawn and let another inaudible sigh out. Clouds were a good metaphor for life, but Ino was a metaphor in and of herself. If only they could be clouds, with no complications….

* * *

After school Shikamaru wandered around the park alone before finding a good spot in the grass to lie down on. He lay with his hands behind his head, his eyes wandering aimlessly across the sky, bringing in all of the clouds in sight. Shikamaru thought about the bad things that had happened to his friends in their pasts. He had never been particularly unfortunate himself, and didn't know exactly what Naruto or Sasuke or Lee or Hinata felt, but he knew their pasts must hurt them, though some handled it differently than others.

Sasuke channeled his sadness and misfortune into anger towards his brother, while Naruto, Hinata, and Lee seemed to keep the sadness deep within them, but tried to make the best of it. Shikamaru had been slightly surprised that Naruto didn't seem to find any contempt or hatred for those who called him evil names or turned him away like a piece of trash; he just seemed to take it, and believe it.

"Are you obsessed with the sky, or are you just that lazy?" Shikamaru tore his eyes away from the sky to observe the girl from earlier as she stared down at him, her hands on her hips. Shikamaru rubbed an eye and covered up a yawn.

"Aren't you a little too young to be a stalker?" he asked lackadaisically, blinking at her. The girl glared at him.

"I'm not a stalker!" she snapped, "I just happened to see you and figured I'd see what your deal was, since you're such a weirdo. Any time I see you in the hallway or anywhere else you're either sleeping or look like you're about to fall asleep any minute!" Shikamaru shrugged and closed his eyes, stifling another yawn.

"Sleep isn't troublesome," was all he said. The girl rolled her eyes.

"You're such a lazy ass," she muttered, crossing her arms. Shikamaru simply shrugged again.

"So, are you going to tell me your name, or what?" he asked, cracking an eye open to look at her. She glared at him again.

"It's more polite to introduce yourself first." Shikamaru shrugged and closed his eye again.

"You didn't ask, and you're the one stalking me." He heard the girl growl.

"Stupid jerk!" she snapped, "I should kick your ass!" Shikamaru breathed evenly, not seeming fazed.

"Too much effort," he muttered, "Besides, I don't fight girls." The girl let out a frustrated growl.

"And you're sexist, too? Geez, you're so… Ah!" Shikamaru continued to breath evenly and didn't answer her. She frowned and leaned forward.

"Hey, are you sleeping when I'm talking to you?" Shikamaru opened his eyes and groaned. He sat up and rubbed his head, glancing at her.

"Sheesh, troublesome woman," he muttered, rubbing his neck, "You're like my mom." She glared at him and opened her mouth to say something when suddenly someone yelled out. They both turned to see a guy dressed in all black with purple face paint waving at her from the curb, standing next to a shorter, pale red- head, whose eyes seemed to be burning into Shikamaru like fire. The girl sighed and turned to Shikamaru with a glare.

"I have to go, see you later, lazy, ass," she tossed, starting to walk off. Shikamaru waved lazily at her.

"Good bye, troublesome woman." She turned back to him, placing a hand on her hip.

"It's Temari." Shikamaru simply nodded. The girl glared at him before rolling her eyes.

"And your name, lazy ass?" Shikamaru smirked a bit, which he didn't do often.

"Shikamaru." Temari smirked before turning and leaving without another word. Shikamaru watched the three go, getting another icy glare from the boy with red hair before they walked about of sight. Shikamaru sighed, thinking back to what he had been before, with Ino, Naruto, Hinata, and the others. Now left to his thoughts, the lazy boy lay back down and laced his fingers behind his head, his eyes scanning the sky for another metaphor of life.

* * *

**There we are :) I told you this one is shorter. But hey, we met Temari! Btw, I updated my profile, so in case you wanna check it out, just letting you know! It may be a while until we see Temari again, or it may be just next chapter, who knows? Not me, so let me know what you want! Alright? Alright :) If you want it from another person's percpective or if you want me to add anyone, just let me know, k? Alright then, Review and Stuff, BYES!**


	17. Good People

**HEY THERE! ^^" Ummmmmm... yeah :) I know I haven't updated in a while... I sowwy :'( Butttttttttt I'm updating now, so it's all good! :D This one is a lot shorter than the other ones I've been doing lately, but believe me, you'll thank me later... we're getting into some of the more serious stuff, SO BEWARE! Well anyways,,, forgive for the late update, por favor! (if it makes you feel better, this is the first one I decided to update since a while :D) Anyways, sit back, chillax, and**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

Hinata shuffled down to the kitchen the next morning, clutching her walking stick in her right hand, and sat down at her usual seat at the table. She heard clinking noises to her left and right, meaning Neji and Hanabi were already sitting in their usual spots. It was quiet for a while, and the air had a strange feel to it. Hinata's eyebrows furrowed.

"Um… is everything a-alright?" she asked worriedly. Unseen to her, Neji and Hanabi exchanged a glance. Hanabi's face lit up with a huge grin, and the corner of Neji's lips twisted upward.

"I talked to father earlier before he went to work," Neji started nonchalantly, taking a sip of his drink. Hinata frowned, feeling her worry build. Was she in trouble for some reason? Was her father angry? Hanabi saw what Neji was doing, and her grin grew even larger.

"A-And what did h-he say?" Hinata asked timidly, pressing her fingertips together worriedly. Neji saw the stress Hinata was going through and decided to end it. He smiled.

"It is possible." Hinata frowned for a moment before her face lit up, and her jaw dropped.

"R-Really…?" she gasped in disbelief. Hanabi started giggling, which lead to straight out laughter, and Neji's smile widened.

"Yes, Hinata," he said, "It is going to happen." Hinata felt the tears running down her face, but ignored them. She placed her hands over her mouth and laughed uncontrollably along with Hanabi, who had gotten out of her chair to hug her. Neji smiled at the scene. Never had he seen Hinata so happy. Sometimes, good things did happen to good people.

* * *

Sakura walked slowly down the sidewalk, her hand loosely clasped in Sasuke's. They were simply walking around, no destination in mind, simply enjoying each other's company. She had invited Ino to come with them earlier, but she had denied, saying Sakura and Sasuke 'needed their alone time'. This statement made Sakura blush and shake her head at her friend's antics. Nonetheless, she was enjoying the time she got to spend with Sasuke. The more she was around him; the more she learned that he wasn't as rude and uncaring as he first seemed.

"What are you thinking about?" Sakura's head shot up and she looked at Sasuke, who was watching her carefully. She fought a blush and shrugged.

"Just how you're not so evil after all," she teased, and giggled when he scowled and looked away, his cheeks lightly brushed with pink. It was silent for a second again, and they continued walking, watching the clouds and birds above their heads, while stealing glances at each other when they didn't think they were looking. After a moment Sakura's phone rang and she dug it out of her pocket, checking the caller id before flipping it open.

"Hello?" she answered cheerfully. Sasuke watched carefully as the light seemed to drain from Sakura's face, and she placed at hand over her mouth.

"W-when?" she asked in a weak, shaky voice. Sasuke tensed as her face grew even paler, and a tear slipped down the side of her face. That single tear, that one tear, made him want to reach out and hug her, to keep her close and protect her from whatever was making her sad. But instead, he waited tensely. Finally Sakura hung up the phone. She stood still as a statue for a moment. When Sasuke was about to open his mouth to speak, the phone slipped from her fingers and Sakura fell to her knees. Sasuke caught her elbows and pulled her close while she sobbed into his shirt. He let her cry for a few minutes, before muttering.

"What is it?" Sakura shook her head and attempted to wipe her eyes. Then she raised her face to his and whispered into his ear. His eyes widened, and Sakura started on another round of fresh tears pouring from her eyes to his shirt. Sasuke swallowed and pulled Sakura close against him, running a hand through her hair and drawing comforting circles on her back. Sometimes, bad things happen to good people.

* * *

_Turn away_

_If you could get me a drink_

_Of water_

'_Cuz my lips are chapped and faded_

_Call my Aunt Marie_

Everyone showed up the next day at lunch except for Ino and Sakura. When they asked Sasuke where they were, he simply shook his head and told them Sakura would be there later.

_ Help her gather all my things_

_ And bury me in all my favorite colors_

_ My sisters and my brothers, still_

_ I will not kiss you_

Sakura showed up a few minutes later, her eyes rimmed red. Sasuke stood and wrapped his arms around her. Everyone else stood and gathered around her, trying to comfort her.

'_Cause the hardest part of this_

_ Is leavin' you_

Sakura sobbed and shook her head as they asked what had happened. They quieted down as Sakura wiped her eyes, and Sasuke held her hand. She shook her head.

_And I just hope you know_

_ That if you say good bye today_

_ I'd ask you to be true…_

Sakura shook her head and peered at them through soggy eyes.

"Ino… has cancer…"

_'Cause the hardest part of this_

_ Is leavin' you…_

* * *

**:O So now you know the deal with Ino... :( The song lyrics, if you're wondering, are from the amazing song Cancer by the even more amazing band My Chemical Romance. Listen to them, they're really amazing. Anyway, I told you it was gonna be sad :( Now I have to make sure I don't make myself cry on the keyboard... If your a crier, grab some tissues! But I promise you, if you don't usually like sad stuff, I still encourage you to read on, because there is some other stuff coming that is not so sad :). Anyways, Review and have a fabulous day!**


	18. Amazing

**Hey there, back again! :) I would have uploaded this sooner, but I wanted to let the last one stew a bit... (and I got distracted by movies... shh, don't tell anyone ^^) Anyways, as I told you, it's gonna get kind of more serious, so be prepared, but I encourage you to continue reading! Also, these chapters are going to be shorter than the previous ones... Believe me, in the future, you'll thank me :) Oh, and I'd like to thank all that have read and reviewed and added this story to their favorites. Thanks for all the support and all da love ^o^ Anyways,**

**Enjoy!  
**

* * *

The group all met outside the hospital, most of them with flowers in hand. Hinata clutched onto Naruto's arm, both for moving and to keep from calm. They were all silent as they walked inside the hospital. It had taken a lot of convincing from Sakura, but finally it was Ino who convinced the people working at the hospital to let Naruto in with the others to see her. Sakura met them by the front desk. Everyone but Hinata could see she hadn't gotten much sleep; there were deep bags under her eyes, and they were red and puffy from crying. Her hair also didn't look like she had brushed it in a few days, and she barely had any makeup on. Sasuke approached her first, taking her hand comfortingly. She nodded and attempted to give a small smile, but it came out more like a grimace.

"I'll show you to her room," she said in a shaky, weak, and just plain tired voice. Hinata couldn't see Sakura, but she could guess at her appearance by her voice, and her heart dropped.

"C'mon, Hinata," Naruto murmured in her ear, carefully pulling her to follow the others. Hinata could hear the worry and sadness in his voice, but remained silent, instead choosing to nod and allow him to lead her. They walked in solemn silence, and Kiba glanced around the group. They all, even Lee, didn't make a sound or attempt at making a joke to lighten the mood. Not that he could blame any of them; he hadn't known any of the group for long, but already for some reason he didn't feel like leaving them, even if this was a lot to handle already. Shino had seemed to come to the same, quiet conclusion.

The group reached a room at the end of the hallway, Room 109. The door was open, but Sakura knocked on the door frame anyway.

"Come in." The voice was cheerful, but everyone could tell it held hidden pain. They all entered timidly, and their hearts broke at the sight of Ino. Her head was wrapped in a bright blue bandana, which seemed to match her still bright but tired eyes, giving her a more mature look than should belong to a teenager, and she wore a white hospital gown, which matched everything white and sterile in the room. Everyone gathered around hesitantly, Sakura immediately going to her side and taking her hand, Sasuke right beside her. Ino smiled when she saw Naruto hesitate, shifting uncomfortably.

"Come here, Naruto, Hinata," she said, tapping the other side of the bed. Naruto looked uncertain for a moment before walking to her side, pulling Hinata close beside him. Ino smiled up at him before turning to the others.

"Thanks for coming, guys," she said, "It means a lot to me, it really does." Everyone could tell she was sincere, and if they looked close enough, they could spot the small gathering of tears at the bottom of her eyes. This made almost everyone else tear up, and Sasuke squeezed Sakura's hand comfortingly. Ino smiled sadly, forcing her tears back and taking a deep breath.

"I guess you guys wanna know the story, huh?" No one said anything, but no one had to. Ino nodded and looked down at her hands, which picked at the bed sheets covering the lower half of her body.

"I had cancer about five years ago. I went through chemo, battled it, and it went away. But then… it started to come back. I battled it again, and it went away for a little. But then it came back, worse. I now have terminal cancer. I'm not going to go into the details, of course, sense I know you've got the gist of it. This time, though, I will not be doing chemo." Sakura shook her head and shut her eyes tight, though a few tears escaped down her face. Ino looked sadly at her and rubbed the back of her hand with her thumb.

"Why not?" Naruto snapped, and though he sounded angry, sorrow was easily detected in his voice. Hinata fought her tears back and clutched Naruto's hand. Ino sighed.

"I know it may seem like I'm giving up," she said, picking at the covers again before looking Naruto straight in the eye, "But I'm not. I am choosing my own destiny. I don't want to spend the rest of my life on chemo. This isn't going to go away. It's going to keep coming back, and back, and back, until finally it's had enough. But I'm not going to put my body, or the people I love, through that. You have to make hard decisions sometime in your life, and this is one of mine."

Naruto stared at the determination in Ino's eyes before looking away. Ino smiled and reached out her free hand to him. He grabbed it with the hand that wasn't holding Hinata's and looked at Ino again.

"You're one of the most amazing people I've ever met, Naruto," she stated, smiling sincerely at him, "But one thing you have to remember is that your past is not what defines you. It's what you build yourself in the present and for your future is what makes you who you really are. You have such a sweet disposition and want to help others even though what you've been through. That makes you the most courageous person I've ever met. I believe you're going to do great things, and be a greater person even that you are now, and so does everyone here."

Naruto looked down, and Ino raised her hand to tilt his chin up, and everyone saw tears streaming down from his watery blue eyes. Ino smiled at him and turned to Hinata. She reached out and touched the girl's hand, and Hinata jumped a little.

"Hinata," Ino said, giggling a little, "Another amazing person. You've changed so many people without even knowing it. I mean, you may not have realized it, but everyone came together because of you, and partly because of Naruto's ability to never back off of people even when they get as annoyed as Sasuke." Everyone laughed at this, and Hinata giggled. Ino smiled again.

"You have a large heart," she said, "One of the largest I've found in a while. Alone you were able to unlock every person's secrets here, and let them trust in you and each other. A little love goes a long way, Hina. It's your choice whether or not you want to pass it on." Hinata sniffled and took her hands away from both Naruto and Ino to raise them and slip her glasses off. Naruto immediately grasped them, and she let him take them.

"I-I wish I could see y-you," Hinata whispered, her gray, glassy orbs flowing with tears. Ino smiled.

"You don't know how much you can truly see without your eyes, Hina," she replied. Hinata sniffled again, and Ino smiled before turning to Sakura. Ino rubbed her hand comfortingly, and Sakura raised her watery eyes to meet Ino's gaze.

"You're my best friend, Sakura," she told her, "You've been with me through everything. You were there for me when I thought no one else was. You were my base, my crutch that I used to hold on to real life. You gave and still give me hope, Sakura. And I thank you for that. You're a fantastic person, and don't ever let yourself believe any different. I love you, you know that, right?" Sakura wiped her eyes and smiled, nodding. She reached down and wrapped her arms around Ino, who hugged her back with a smile. They let go and Ino looked over at Sasuke with a small smile.

"Your also an amazing person," she said, "Being able to hold that huge burden on your shoulders. But you have friends now, so you can all share the burden. Appreciate it, because it's not every day that you'll find people who can and are willing to help such heavy burdens together. Just don't ever channel it into anger, all right? There's always a better solution." Ino's smile turned mischievous for a moment.

"And you take care of my Sakura, you hear? No making her sad!" Everyone laughed and Sasuke smiled and nodded while Sakura blushed and wiped her eyes. Ino smiled at her friend and took her hand once again.

"There's the Sakura I missed," she murmured, her smile growing, "The sweet, happy-go-lucky girl that would still protect her friends no matter what." Sakura smiled back at her friend, and Ino turned to the others.

"You're all amazing in your own way," she stated, before laughing, "I hope I haven't used that word so much that it's lost its value! But all of you, please, remember that you have each other, and never let each other go for petty things. Remember what's important in life. Remember each other. Alright? I'm making you all promise me right now! C'mon, cross your hearts! Do it!" Everyone crossed their hearts and promised, most smiling at Ino's antics. She smiled and lay back against the bed frame, for once looking even more tired than she had when they came in.

"We should go," Sasuke murmured in Sakura's ear. She sighed and nodded, turning to her friend.

"We'll see you later, I," she said, smiling half-heartedly. Ino returned the smile and nodded.

"I'll see you all later." They all exchanged their good-byes and exited. Hinata felt cool air reach her face as they stepped outside and stopped. Naruto, who was still holding her hand, looked back at her with a frown.

"Something wrong, Hinata?" She paused a moment.

"D-Don't you w-want to see I-Iruka?" Naruto glanced back at the building and rubbed the back of his head.

"I don't…. think it would help at the moment," he said cautiously. Hinata was silent for a second before nodding, walking to his side and once again letting him lead her away.

* * *

**There we goesssssss. :) I hope you liked it! Oh btw, I wasn't really pleased with the title of the last chapter, so if you have any suggestions, let me know! I was just SOOO excited to get it uploaded and updated that I didn't spend long on the name :P Anyways, again I hope you liked it, and again, thanks for reviewing and things! See ya!**


	19. Good Bye

**Hey guys :) This one is going to be a bit shorter than the others... Of course, I already warned you about that. Anyways, if you're very sensitive or unstable as some might call it, this might not be the chapter for you. I promise it will get better, and I tried not to.. well, you know. Anyways, I hope you like it!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

A month passed. The doctors said Ino wouldn't last after Thanksgiving. She passed away on a Saturday in December. Her funeral was held a few weekends after that, on a Sunday. All of her friends were invited to come, even Naruto. Also Kiba and Shino, who she hadn't known that long. It turned out that shortly after the whole group visited that one day, Ino wrote a short letter saying that she would like them all to attend her funeral, no matter what. It also said, surprisingly, that she would like a few of them to say some things.

* * *

"I know none of my family knows the new friends that I made," her mother read off her letter, wiping her eyes and sniffling before going on, "But I would like them all to come to my funeral. I know I'm going to have one, it's just a matter of time. I can say I outlived what I probably was supposed to, though. I would also like them to say something, if they would like. I know Sakura, my best friend, might have some things to say. As most of my family knows, she is my dearest friend, and I love her with all my heart. Also Naruto Uzamaki. I understand that some people attending my funeral might not like him for a certain reason, but please, give him a chance. I'm sure if you got to know him like I and all my friends have, you will see just how amazing he really is, just like we did. I love you all, and wish you all happiness. Be safe, and never lose yourself."

It was silent around the grave. People clad in black sniffled or outright bawled. Sasuke held Sakura close and stroked her hair as she soaked his shirt with tears, sobbing into his shoulder. Hinata's heart ached, and she clung to Naruto, who held her back closely. Neji stood by his sister in silence, letting Naruto console her better than Neji knew he could. He hadn't really known Ino; he'd only met her once, and hadn't even talked to her. What Hinata and the others needed was for themselves to be told by each other that it was alright, that no matter what, it was going to be ok. Ino's mother, Mrs. Yamanaka, wiped her eyes and approached Sakura.

"I-I know it's h-hard," the older woman choked out, her blue eyes that were so like Ino's looking down at Sakura with tears welled up inside, "B-But I'm s-sure she would l-like it if you s-said something." Sakura sniffled and nodded. Mrs. Yamanaka nodded thankfully and stepped aside. Sakura stepped forward but Sasuke took her hand.

Sakura looked back at him and they exchanged a look before he nodded and let go. Sakura turned and walked to the front of the crowd surrounding the grave. She made the mistake of glancing at the tombstone, which had been freshly carved with her best friend's name on the front. Sakura let out a choked sob and fell to her knees, a new wave of fresh tears flowing down her cheeks. Sasuke was immediately by her side, rubbing her back and whispering something in her ear. After a silent moment of just sniffling and sobs, Sasuke helped Sakura stand to her feet, but this time he didn't leave her side. Sakura took a deep breath.

"I," she started weakly before clearing throat, "I'm Sakura. I-Ino w-was my best f-friend… We did e-everything together when w-we were younger. E-Even as we got older we never d-drifted apart like f-friends to sometimes. S-She was the greatest p-person I'd ever known. S-Still she is. S-She made me, and a lot of o-others, l-like our friends, realize h-how little some things m-mattered compared t-to others. I-It was due to her that I-I met Sasuke and all of the others. S-She was the most a-amazing person and t-the best friend y-you could e-ever wish for." Sakura raised her head, having tilted it down when she started crying in the middle of her speech, and met Naruto's equally watery gaze.

"N-Naruto," she murmured, "P-Please… I k-know none of you knew h-her for as l-long as I d-did, but I s-still think it would m-mean a lot to her if y-you said something, N-Naruto…" Naruto's eyes widened and he immediately started to protest, but then he felt a squeeze on his hand. He looked down at Hinata in surprise.

"G-Go ahead, N-Naruto," she whispered, "F-For Ino…" Naruto stared at her for a moment before raising his gaze, his eyes landing on Mrs. Yamanaka, Ino's mother. She gave a tiny grimace of a smile and nodded.

"G-Go on, don't b-be shy," she told him, "I-It is my d-daughter's wishes." Naruto swallowed thickly and nodded, getting an encouraging squeeze on his hand from Hinata before he took Sakura's place up front, giving her a hug and Sasuke a nod as he passed. Once in front of the crowd, Naruto shifted uncomfortably.

"Erm…." He started, then sighed. He raised his eyes to look at each person in turn, seeing each person's blood-shot, tear-dried eyes gazing at him or turned to console another's. Suddenly he remembered who spoke at his parent's funeral; an old priest who didn't actually know them and didn't care.

Naruto hadn't even spoken at their funeral, he was so strung on grief, and he was scared that if he talked someone might yell and ruin the grave. Naruto's fists clenched. That was not what Ino's friends and family needed right now. They didn't need to worry, and neither did Ino. Naruto looked at each person again, his eyes lingering on Hinata as he remembered something she once said to him. Finally he took a deep breath and spoke.

"I'm Naruto Uzamaki," he started, "Some of you might know me, or know who I am, but that's not why you're here. Ino… I didn't know Ino as much as I wish I had…. I only knew her for a short time. But in the time that I did I realized that people like that can exist." Most people turned to frown at each other in question, but Naruto pushed on.

"She showed me that there are kind people in the world, that not everyone is as cruel as some people think. And sometimes people, good people like that, don't always get what they deserve." Naruto watched as Hinata's head perked up and her once sunglass-less eyes widened. He smiled a little.

"Ino deserved more," he stated, "Ino deserved to have more than what was given to her. But I'm sure anyone who met her knows, that's not the way she saw it. She was thankful that she had people in her life who loved her, as we all should be. She was happy that she got to live and be with her best friend and got to meet new friends and got to help them feel better. And we're all glad we got to know her, too. She pulled us out of our own problems and let us know that everything was going to be ok. She was wiser and smarter than anyone I've ever met still, and she was only my age. But she's not gone. I think she's watching us. Waiting for us to make the right decisions. To uncover each other's secrets so that we might understand, to be sweet and kind and nice to each other so we can make it through those bittersweet times. To be caring even when we make mistakes, and keep promises that will lead to new discoveries. We must be patient to be deserving, and look upon Ino as our amazing friend, or our sibling, cousin, daughter, and our metaphor to life." Naruto stopped and caught his breath, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Suddenly Mrs. Yamanaka let out a sob and lurched forward, pulled Naruto into a tight hug. Naruto's eyes widened as the older woman sobbed on him, and glanced around. Everyone had fresh tears, and some were even smiling a little at him.

"T-Thank you, my d-dear, thank you," Mrs. Yamanaka sobbed, "Thank you…" Naruto's eyes softened and he relaxed a bit.

"There's no need to thank me, Mrs. Yamanaka," he told her quietly. Mr. Yamanaka approached them and gave a slight smile to Naruto.

"No there is, Mr. Uzamaki," he said as Mrs. Yamanaka let go of Naruto and grabbed hold of him, "Thank you very much." Naruto smiled a little.

"You can just call me Naruto, sir," he answered. Mr. Yamanaka nodded.

"Very well, Naruto," he stated. "Thank you."

* * *

A few more people talked, and it was silent. It started to rain, and some people left. Soon it was only the group of friends and Ino's parents. Soon, though, even they left, so it was just the group of friends; Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Sasuke, Kiba, Shino, Shikamaru, Lee, all gathered around Ino's grave. One by one they placed their flowers carefully around the stone with Ino's name on it:

Ino Yamanaka

Beautiful Daughter, Wonderful Friend

1996-2011

It was silent other than the pattering of rain. Soon everyone had gone except for Sakura and Sasuke. They were both getting soaked, but Sasuke didn't want to rush her. Finally Sakura sighed and placed her flowers down on the front, her hand brushing over Ino's name.

"Good bye…" she whispered. Sasuke approached her and she stood, taking his hand before they left the graveyard, leaving the rain pattering down upon the stone.

* * *

**Dedicated to anyone who has lost someone from cancer. We are with you. If you feel you need to reach out, no matter what you're going throught, go to someone you trust. You're not alone.**

**You can also message me if you like, I will try to understand. **

**Have a good day. Stay safe.**

**:)**


	20. Winter's Eyes

**Hey there, back! :) I actually finished this a few miutes after the last one, but I wanted to wait a bit before uploading it :) Annndddddd I decided to upload it earlier then planned because I'm impatient and I love you :D Again, thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far, you're the reason this story has gotten better :) Well, at least I think it has :P Anyways, I hope you liked the last one and I hope you like this one! We're almost there, guys!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Is it ok? Did it work?"

"Of course it worked, they're professionals… It worked, right?"

"Yeah I think so…"

"Guys shh, I think she's waking up…"

Hinata heard the voices become louder, and her fuzzy thoughts became clearer. But where was she? The last thing she remembered was walking into the hospital with Neji and her father… Suddenly it hit her, and she started panicking.

Naruto saw realization hit Hinata's face, though her eyes were still covered with cloth, and took her hand before she started hyperventilating.

"Hinata, it's me," he called out softly, "We're all here. Are you ok?" Hinata relaxed a bit.

"Naruto," she breathed. Everyone in the room glanced around at each other. The air was tense and silent. Naruto held Hinata's hand comfortingly.

"Are you ready, Hinata?" he asked quietly, kindly. Hinata's breath caught. She paused a moment before nodding, her heart swelling with excitement and fear to the point she thought it might burst. Naruto hesitated before letting go of her hand and reaching up to take hold of the corner of the wrapping on her eyes. His hands shook, and finally he took a deep breath and began pulling away the cloth. Everyone held their breath as the last bit of fabric dropped away. It was dead silent and Naruto took hold of Hinata's hand once again. It was a moment later before Hinata took a deep breath and her eyes flitted open. Everyone's breath caught and it was quiet before giggles erupted in the room. Tears streamed down Hinata's cheeks as she looked at each of them, truly looked at them.

"I-I can see you all," she whispered, "I-I can see all o-of you!" Sakura laughed, tears running down her cheeks as she gave Hinata a big hug.

"I'm so happy for you, Hinata," she told her truly as Hinata returned the hug, not minding that they were probably getting tears on each other. Neji stood with Tenten in the corner, observing the scene with a smile on his face. Hinata finally got what she wanted the most. What she deserved. Just then he heard a voice by his side.

"O-Oh Neji, it's a-amazing," Neji turned to see Tenten's cheeks wet with tears as that silly grin of hers was spread on her face as she watched Hinata get hugged by all of her friends. Neji smiled and nodded.

"I know." Tenten giggled and wrapped an arm around his waist, leaning on his side. Neji's smile grew a bit as she held her back, continuing to look at Hinata, who could finally look back.

Hinata giggled and turned to look to her left, where Naruto had become silent. He stood awkwardly with his head turned away from her, a hand over his cheek, pretending to itch it. She knew the real reason for him doing this, though, and reached out a hand to him.

"N-Naruto…" He turned slightly to her, his blue eyes gazing at her as he continued to cover his cheeks. Hinata's breath momentarily caught at the sight of his beautiful eyes; they were even more amazing than she could have imagined. She shook her head and took the hand that was covering his cheek and gently pulled it away. He sighed and ducked his head a bit, though not before Hinata could see the thin, long scars running along both his cheeks, that almost ruined his the picture of his beautiful face. Almost. Hinata smiled and reached out a hand, her fingertips gently brushing against the scars on one side of his face. Naruto raised his head to meet her gaze with worried and scared eyes.

"I hope you don't… Think differently… you know, because of the… scars," Naruto mumbled, motioning to his cheeks. Hinata smiled kindly.

"What scars, N-Naruto?" Naruto looked up at her in surprise before a huge grin spread on his face. They smiled at each other for a moment before someone called out. Both of them turned to see Sakura smiling at them, a small hand mirror in her hands. She approached the bed and held it out to Hinata.

"I think it's been a while since you've seen yourself," she said with a smile, "I thought you might want this." Hinata's eyes widened. She looked back at Naruto, who gave her an encouraging smile and nod before turning back to Sakura and gently taking the mirror. Hinata took a deep breath before turning the mirror over to face her and peering in. White, cloudy, glassy orbs stared back at her, and her breath caught. She looked so different from when she had last saw herself… These brought on new tears, and Naruto took her hand, smiling. Hinata looked up at him, and he brushed away a few of her tears.

"Yep, there they are," he murmured with a smile, "Winter's eyes."

* * *

With some convincing, the group finally got the doctor to give them permission to take Hinata outside. He said too much excitement wasn't a good idea, though, so after a minute they decided Naruto would go with her. Naruto now tugged on Hinata's hand, pulling her past the hospital doors and out into the open. Hinata's eyes widened as she held out a palm. A tiny, white snow drop drifted to settle on her hand before disappearing, only to be replaced by another.

Sheets of white covered the ground and tree tops, and for once Hinata understood why Neji had brought her a large coat and insisted she wear it when Naruto decided to take her outside. Naruto felt a smile grace his lips as he watched new, happy tears reach and slide down Hinata's face as she stared around at all the snow.

"I-It's beautiful," she whispered, turning to give him a dazzling smile. Suddenly Naruto remembered something Ino told him when he went to visit her in the month before her passing.

* * *

_Ino smiled at him._

_"Hinata trusts you more than anyone, you know," she told him, "Except maybe Neji. Maybe." Naruto smiled a bit and shook his head._

_"I was probably just one of the first to be nice to her, that's all." Ino shook her head._

_"There's a line between being thankful and really, really liking someone. She really likes you, Naruto, I can tell." Naruto sighed, avoiding looking at her._

_"If she could see, though…" He only muttered this under his breath, but Ino caught it, and noticed his fingers brush over the marks on his cheeks. Ino smiled a little and shook her head, taking his hand. Naruto turned to her in slight surprise and her smile grew._

_"Looks only go so far, Naruto," she stated, "Just think, do you honestly think Hinata would stop being around you if she could see? It seems to me she sees a lot better than people think, huh?"_

* * *

"N-Naruto?" Naruto was brought out of his reverie and looked up to see Hinata looking worriedly at him. He smiled a little at her caring.

"A-Are you ok?" she asked. Naruto's smile grew and he nodded, approaching her.

"Yeah I'm fine… I was just thinking." Hinata observed him before her eyes dropped to the ground, and her fingers twirled around each other nervously. Naruto smiled at the small habit, secretly glad that it wasn't something she gained after losing her sight.

"I-I…" Naruto was once again brought out of his thoughts by Hinata's voice, and frowned a bit.

"I wish…" Hinata whispered, "I-I wish I could h-have seen you s-sooner… M-Maybe…. Maybe I c-could have h-helped b-better if I…."

Naruto felt a smile grow on his face and shook his head. Hinata jumped and looked up in surprise as Naruto began to laugh. He shook his head again, continuing to laugh, and took her hand as his other arm slipped slightly around her waist, making Hinata blush.

"Hinata," he said seriously, staring into her eyes though a smile was still present of his face, "You saw and still see me better than anyone has in a really, really long time." Hinata smiled, and she was only surprised for a moment when Naruto brought her closer, pressing his lips to hers before surrendering to the kiss, and momentarily closing her winter's eyes.

* * *

**There we are :) I hope you guys have like this story! Make sure to review :) Hey, and if you want a sequel, perhaps some convincing will make it happen :P Buttttt I hope you liked it! Keep reading and reviewing, one last thing to go!**

**Have a great day! **


	21. Epilogue

**Hey there guys! I know it was quick, but I finished this one shortly after the last one, so I really wanted to upload it :) I hope you guys have liked this story! Thanks for reviewing, adding this story to your favorites, or adding me to your favorite authors list :) You're all awesomeness :P Anyways,**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Hinata smiled at the picture in her hands. It was a photograph on Ino, taken by her mother while Ino was helping Mrs. Yamanaka with her garden. Ino's long blond hair ran down her back and Ino's blue eyes stared brightly into the camera as she gave a huge grin.

"She was beautiful." Sakura smiled fondly.

"Yeah, I know. She never would admit it, though," she said, giggling. Hinata giggled a bit and handed the photo back to Sakura with her free hand. The other was lightly clasped with Naruto's, who had been previously talking to Lee. Now he looked at Hinata and smiled. It seemed almost impossible that it had been a few months since Hinata couldn't see. Now she took everything in as if it was still her first time seeing it. _But of course_, Naruto thought, _Things like that change people. Then again, I think maybe Hinata was always like this…_

"So I heard there's gonna be a lot of new kids next year," Kiba told the group, leaning back in his hands with his legs splayed out in front of him, "What do you think they'll be like?" Sakura and Sasuke shrugged.

"I don't know."

"I don't care."

"Troublesome."

"YOUTHFUL!"

"What he said."

"Erm, n-nice…"

Kiba glanced around the group at the couples and huffed.

"Hmph, everyone's starting to date now," he stated, "Well, at least I got Shino. Right, buddy?"

"Actually, I have a date Saturday with a girl from my science class," Shino answered coldly, "It seems she is interested in bugs almost as much as I am." Kiba frowned.

"Whatever. Lee, buddy? You're still single, right?" Lee jumped up and hit his chest with a fist.

"I am sorry my youthful friend, but it seems I have a date tomorrow with the lovely lady from my English class who also enjoys taijutsu!" Kiba groaned and hit his forehead. Sasuke snickered, and Sakura elbowed him in the ribs.

"Well, at least Shikamaru's still single," Kiba stated, "There's no way anyone would date a lazy guy like him." Just then a girl with sandy blond hair tied in four ponytails approached and placed her hands on her hips. Shikamaru, who lay in the grass with his hands behind his head, cracked an eye open to gaze at her.

"Well, well, if it isn't lazy ass Shika," Temari smirked. Everyone other than Shikamaru glanced around at each other in confusion. Shikamaru sighed.

"Stalker," he greeted. Temari glared at him, and he sighed.

"Fine, troublesome woman. _Temari._ Happy now?" Temari smirked.

"Ecstatic," she replied, "But before I forgive you completely for being an idiot, you have to do something." Shikamaru sighed. He had expected this.

"And what would that be?" Temari's smirk grew.

"You have to take me on a date." Shikamaru's eyebrow raised. Hadn't been expecting that. Everyone else looked around at each other in surprise, before looking back at the pair. Finally Shikamaru sighed.

"Fine."

"Eight o'clock Saturday. Don't be late, lazy ass."

"Fine."

"See ya, lazy ass."

"Later, troublesome woman." Temari walked off, and everyone gaped at Shikamaru. He sighed and closed his eyes, leaning back.

"Women are troublesome," he muttered, then cracked an eye open to look at Kiba, "But it's better than without."

"Shut up…" Kiba muttered, growling under his breath. Everyone laughed at his expense, and Sakura gazed up at the sky. A smile graced her face. _We're all ok, Ino. It's all ok now._

"You're gonna have to go dance alone!" Naruto burst out in laughter, and Kiba shouted before trying to attack him. Sakura giggled and rolled her eyes at the boy's antics, making Hinata laugh. Finally Kiba settled down, but not before hitting Naruto on the head with a textbook.

"Oww," Naruto whined, hiding behind Hinata and pouting, "No fair!" Hinata giggled and proceeded to check to see if he had a bruise, which in turn led to him stealing a kiss and making her almost faint. Yep, they were all alright.

* * *

**Well, that's all, guys :) I hope you liked this story! And I was thinking, if you have any suggestions for future stories or even for a sequel to this one, just let me know :) Well, that's all, folks :P Review and see ya later!**

**THE END**


	22. Author's Note

**Hey guys! So, I was looking through my stories on here, and I remembered how much you guys liked this one, so I was wondering… Should I write a sequel? And if I do, I don't know if:**

**Should it be the same anime, same characters? Or same anime, different characters?**

**Should it be a completely different anime? If so, which one? I know Bleach, Code Geass, Vampire Knight, Fruits Basket, Pandora Hearts…**

**I've kind of wanted to do another one, but I'm not sure. So just let me know, it's up to you!**

**Alright, let me know! See ya!**


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